Carbon monoxide in breath in relation to smoking and carboxyhaemoglobin levels. Issue 5 (May 1981)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wald, N J; Idle, M; Boreham, J; Bailey, A
• Is Part Of: Thorax. Volume 36:Issue 5(1981)
• Page Start: 366
• Page End: 369
• Publication Date: 1981-05
• Subjects: Chest -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Thorax; Chest -- Diseases; Periodicals; Periodicals; 617.54
• DOI: 10.1136/thx.36.5.366
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0040-6376

Abstract

Abstract : Carboxyhaemoglobin (COHb) levels were studied in 11 249 men. The distribution among the 2613 men who smoked cigarettes was well separated from that in 6641 non-smokers (including ex-smokers). The distribution for 2005 cigar and pipe smokers was intermediate, though some of the highest COHb levels occurred in cigar smokers. Using a COHb cut-off level of 2%, 81% of cigarette smokers, 35% of cigar and pipe smokers, and 1.0% of non-smokers had raised COHb levels. In a subsidiary experiment alveolar air samples were collected from 162 smokers and 25 non-smokers using a simple breath sampling technique. Carbon monoxide concentrations in alveolar breath were highly correlated with COHb levels (r = 0.97) indicating that COHb levels can be estimated reliably by measuring the concentration of carbon monoxide in breath. Alveolar carbon monoxide measurement is thus a simple method of estimating whether a person is likely to be a smoker.