RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SMOKING-HABITS, SMOKING-ASSOCIATED HEMATOLOGICAL-CHANGES, AND URINARY BENZENE METABOLITES

It has been suggested that benzene metabolites might be good indicator s oi smoking. Moreover, benzene could stimulate the neutrophil lineage while depressing the lymphocytic and erythroid lineages, possibly by an interference with cytokines. The effect on the neutrophil lineage c ould explain the smokers' leukocytosis, the mechanism of which is pres ently unknown. Therefore, the usefulness of benzene metabolites as ind icators of smoking was compared to that of cotinine and thiocyanate, a nd the relationships between benzene metabolites, the hematological pa rameters oi smokers, and interleukin la production were examined. The results show that benzene metabolites are not better indicators of smo king status than cotinine or thiocyanate. Furthermore, it seems unlike ly that the smokers' leukocytosis is benzene induced.