USEFULNESS OF MARKERS IN MANAGING TOBACCO WITHDRAWAL

To evaluate the usefulness of tobacco markers in dependent smokers bei ng treated with transdermal nicotine patchs, a study was conducted at the Tobacco Withdrawal Consultation Centre at the Hopital Laennec, Par is, France. 125 patients were included in the study and, in a first ti me, carbon monoxide in exhaled air, carboxyhaemoglobin, urinary nicoti ne and cotinine, Fagerstrom index, were measured and correlated to the amount of nicotine inhaled per day. The most significant value was ob served for cotinine. In a second time, 25 patients were followed up cl inically and biologically with urinary cotinine monitoring (group FC) and 73 were followed up only clinically (group FC). The success rate o f therapy 12 weeks after the end of treatment was 72 % in group FB and 28 % in group FC, The nicotine patch dose was positively correlated ( p<0.01) with successful outcome. The lower the urinary cotinine level at 4 weeks, the more likely was successful outcome (p<0.05). If psycho logical factors remain important, urinary cotinine monitoring in the c ourse of nicotine patch treatment thus favours successful withdrawal.