The validation of serum thiocyanate smoking data in a population survey.

The estimation of smoking using blood serum thiocyanate concentration definition was performed in a representative sample of the population of the city of Novosibirsk. 1741 men and 1665 women aged 25-64 were surveyed. The concentration of blood serum thiocyanate increases with the number of cigarettes smoked, and depends on the time interval from the last smoking to the moment of taking the blood sample. It was shown that, as far as men are concerned, there is general agreement between the data obtained from the questionnaire on smoking and the data obtained through the biochemical estimation of inhaled tobacco smoke. In women, a discrepancy was noted between the data obtained using these two different methods.