Korean J Fam Med.  2009 Jan;30(1):31-38. 10.4082/kjfm.2009.30.1.31.

Urine Cotinine and Environmental Tobacco Exposure in Korean Adolescents

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Family Medicine, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea. syoo@paik.ac.kr
  • 2Department of Pediatrics, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
  • 3Department of Pediatrics, Gangneung Asan Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Gangneung, Korea.
  • 4Department of Pediatrics, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
  • 5Department of Pediatrics, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, Korea.
  • 6Department of Pediatrics, Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
  • 7Center for Clinical Services, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to elucidate the relationship of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure and the urine cotinine concentrations in Korean adolescents.
METHODS
The study population was 1st grade high school adolescents (n = 1467, girls 22.2%) recruited from four high schools, two from Seoul, one from Kangleung and one from Woolsan. We obtained information on active smoking and ETS exposure through self-reported questionnaire and urine cotinine concentrations.
RESULTS
The prevalence of active smoking was 6.9% in boys and 0.9% in girls. Median urine cotinine concentrations were 19.5 microgram/L (range, 0-2341 microgram/L) among smokers, and 0 microgram/L (range, 0-1359 microgram/L) among nonsmokers. The positive rate of urine cotinine among nonsmokers exposed to ETS was 2.9%. Boys were exposed to ETS in the order of frequency in PC room (79.6%), home (39.4%), school (11.5%), and public places (5.9%); girls were exposed in the order of frequency in home (40.9%), PC room (33.2%), public places (28.0%), and school (15.2%). The frequency and duration of ETS exposure were significantly larger and longer in boys than in girls. Boys contacted friends who smoked more than girls did (32.6% vs. 17.1%). Parents; smoking status was similar both in boys and girls. Any information on ETS exposure did not differ according to the detectable urine cotinine among nonsmoking adolescents.
CONCLUSION
Low positive rate of urine cotinine and no association of urine cotinine with various ETS exposure history reflect that urine cotinine may not be a good marker for ETS exposure in Korean adolescents.

Keyword

Environmental Tobacco Smoke; Urine Cotinine; Adolescent

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Cotinine
Friends
Humans
Prevalence
Smoke
Smoking
Tobacco
Surveys and Questionnaires
Cotinine
Smoke
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