Carboxyhaemoglobin and plasma thiocyanate: complementary indicators of smoking behaviour?

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Abstract
HbCO and plasma thiocyanate concentrations were measured in 79 nonsmokers and 360 cigarette smokers. The mean levels were 0.73% and 7.09% HbCO and 40.2 and 133.8 .mu.mol thiocyanate/l plasma, respectively. With 1.6% HbCO and 73.0 .mu.mol thiocyanate/l plasma as critical values the concentrations of HbCO in 96.6% of subjects and of thiocyanate in 93.4% were compatible with reported smoking status. This difference between the 2 tests was significant (P < 0.005). Statistical combination of the HbCO and thiocyanate results, with the use of linear discrimination analysis, only marginally improved their diagnostic efficiency (96.8% of subjects were grouped correctly). This analysis did successfully regroup 21 of 26 individuals with contradictory HbCO and thiocyanate classifications. Determination of thiocyanate added little to the information obtained from HbCO measurements alone.