Aim: To assess and compare the carbon monoxide (CO) levels in smokers and nonsmokers.
Materials and methods: The CO levels of 200 participants (150 smokers and 50 nonsmokers) who visited the tobacco cessation center (TCC) at the Sibar Institute of Dental Sciences (SIDS), Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India, were analyzed.
Results: The exhaled CO levels of smokers and nonsmokers were 7.40 ± 5.90 and 1.06 ± 0.71, respectively. A cutoff of 2.5 ppm or above was given with 81% sensitivity and 72% specificity to distinguish smokers from nonsmokers. There was also a significant positive correlation between CO levels and daily cigarette consumption and CO levels and duration of smoking, with r = 0.63, p = 0.0001 and r = 0.272, p = 0.001, respectively.
Conclusion: The purpose of the current study is to educate people regarding the ill effects caused by smoking and emphasize the role of using a breath analyzer to determine one's smoking status by providing visual proof of CO exposure and the necessity of quitting.
Clinical significance: To educate and create awareness among smokers through behavior counseling and CO breath analyzers as well as to enhance the lifestyle by preventing the ill effects of CO on the respiratory system and the environment.
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