Smokeless tobacco use and salivary cotinine concentration

Abstract

The objective of the current study was to examine demographic, tobacco-related, and psychosocial factors associated with cotinine concentration in a group of 256 male smokeless tobacco (ST) users living in the Ohio Appalachian region. Participants completed a survey that included questions on: 1) current and past tobacco use behaviors; 2) demographics; 3) tobacco dependence; 4) decisional balance; 5) health behaviors; and 6) perceived stress and depressive symptoms. Saliva samples were obtained for measurement of cotinine. The variables related to salivary cotinine concentration in the multiple regression model were age, marital status, occupation, quit attempts, years of ST use, and tobacco dependence score (adjusted R² = 0.24). Among the 199 snuff only users, cotinine concentration was positively related to age, being divorced/widowed/separated, no quit attempts in the previous year, dependence score, and brand of snuff (adjusted R² = 0.29). This is one of the largest studies to examine influences beyond topography on cotinine concentration in a group of rural ST users. These findings suggest that smokeless tobacco users and smokers share some similarities with respect to tobacco dependence.

Effect of smokeless tobacco products on human oral bacteria growth and viability

“…The aqueous extraction condition is more similar to chewing extraction conditions in the human mouth than organic solvent extraction condition, thus STAEs were used to investigate effects of STPs on the growth and viability of oral bacteria. The doses of STAE (1, 10, 50 mg/ml) used in this study are similar to physiological conditions in the mouth of the smokeless tobacco users [34,35]. Exposure to STAEs affected the growth of all tested strains in a concentration-dependent manner, although there were strain-to-strain variations (Figs.…”

Dependence measures for non-cigarette tobacco products within the context of the global epidemic: a systematic review

“…Thomas et al 51 compared assessment of smokeless tobacco users by the FTQ-ST with the Diagnostic Interview Schedule-IV (questionnaire-based DSM-IV criteria for dependence)52 and found poor correlation between the two measures of dependence. Ferketich et al 53 tested an additional modification of the FTND for smokeless tobacco users, and found only moderate correlation between male smokeless tobacco users’ score on the dependence questionnaire and their level of salivary cotinine.…”

“…All three smokeless tobacco variations of the FTND included in the review use ‘time to first use,’ ‘using while ill,’ ‘frequency of use’ items,29 50 53 and two of the three assess ‘difficulty refraining’ 50 53. An additional feature unique to smokeless tobacco used in the three studies is the criterion of ‘swallowing tobacco juices’ during use.…”

“…An additional feature unique to smokeless tobacco used in the three studies is the criterion of ‘swallowing tobacco juices’ during use. Using these variations on the FTND, all studies found moderate correlations between FTND score and the salivary cotinine levels of their respective samples; however, the studies reveal low levels of reliability for these measures 29 50 53. Ferketich et al 53 called for the development of better metrics of smokeless tobacco dependence.…”

Greater Sensitivity of Oral Fibroblasts to Smoked Versus Smokeless Tobacco

“…STE (5%) was found to contain 150 μM nicotine, or ≈11.5 times that in 5% CSE. In smokeless tobacco users, nicotine levels as high as 1.5 mM in saliva immediately after use have been reported 20 . As CSE and STE concentrations differ greatly in their nicotine content and the major reason for using these products is nicotine delivery, all CSE and STE solutions were reported based on nicotine concentration to aid comparison.…”