EVALUATION OF SALIVARY COTININE LEVEL IN SECOND-HAND SMOKERS - A CASE CONTROL STUDY

Understanding SHS exposure is important in measuring and preventing exposure. Estimation of the Cotinine values help in biochemical validation and cessation outcomes. The biochemically estimated cotinine levels is found to be an indicator, second hand smoke exposure or use of therapeutic nicotine. AIMS:To evaluate salivary cotinine level in second-hand smokers MATERIALS AND METHODS : 78 study subjects divided into 2 groups (Group 1 and Group 2) of 39 each. The saliva samples were collected from subjects who had no previous history of tobacco smoking and subjects who are second-hand smokers. Their cotinine contents were measured using the competitive ELISAmethod according to the standard curve. STATISTICALANALYSIS: Data analysed by using descriptive analysis. Independent t-test was used to compare the cotinine concentration between the groups. RESULTS:The mean salivary cotinine level in groups (Group 1 and Group 2) was found to be 20.37 ng/ml and 6.78 ng/ml respectively.. CONCLUSIONS:salivary cotinine level was signicantly high in second hand smokers compared to nonsmokers.