This test measures the amount of cotinine in your urine. Cotinine is a chemical your body makes after you are exposed to nicotine. Measuring cotinine is better than measuring nicotine because nicotine disappears from your system within a few hours, but cotinine remains for a day or more.

Cotinine is usually the best test to check for tobacco use or exposure to tobacco smoke because it lasts longer in the body and is only produced when nicotine is metabolised. Cotinine has a half-life in the body of between 7 and 40 hours, while nicotine has a half-life of 1 to 4 hours.

Nonsmokers:less than 1 ng/mL. exposure to SHS:1–10 ng/mL range Active smokers:0 ng/mL and sometimes higher than 500 ng/mL

A cotinine test is used to detect the presence of cotinine in the body, which is a metabolite of nicotine. Cotinine is often used as a biomarker to assess tobacco or nicotine exposure, including exposure from smoking cigarettes, using smokeless tobacco, or exposure to secondhand smoke. Here's how to interpret the results: Positive Result: A positive cotinine test result indicates the presence of cotinine in the body, suggesting recent exposure to nicotine or tobacco products. Interpretation: Positive results may occur in individuals who actively smoke cigarettes, use smokeless tobacco products (such as chewing tobacco or snuff), or are exposed to secondhand smoke. Cotinine can be detected in the body for several days after exposure, depending on the frequency and intensity of tobacco use. Negative Result: A negative cotinine test result indicates the absence of detectable cotinine in the body, suggesting no recent exposure to nicotine or tobacco products. Interpretation: Negative results are expected in individuals who have abstained from tobacco use or exposure to secondhand smoke. However, it's important to note that negative results do not necessarily confirm complete abstinence from tobacco, as cotinine may be undetectable if exposure occurred more than a few days before testing. Quantitative Results: Some cotinine tests provide quantitative results, indicating the concentration of cotinine in the body. Higher cotinine levels generally correlate with more significant tobacco exposure. Quantitative results can help assess the degree of tobacco exposure and monitor changes over time, such as during smoking cessation efforts. Clinical Correlation: Interpretation of cotinine test results should be done in conjunction with the patient's clinical history, including self-reported tobacco use, exposure to secondhand smoke, and other relevant factors. Clinical assessment may also include evaluation for signs and symptoms of tobacco-related health conditions, such as respiratory symptoms, cardiovascular disease, or cancer. Confirmation Testing: Positive cotinine test results may be confirmed with additional testing, such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), for definitive confirmation of nicotine or tobacco exposure. Confirmation testing can help differentiate between true positive results and potential false positives due to factors such as dietary sources of nicotine or passive exposure to tobacco smoke. Interpretation of cotinine test results should be performed by healthcare professionals experienced in the assessment and management of tobacco use and exposure. Counseling and support for tobacco cessation may be appropriate for individuals with positive cotinine test results, especially those who express a desire to quit smoking or using tobacco products.

Urine