[Can we rely on self-reported smoking habits?].

The reliability of self-reporting on smoking habits has been evaluated by comparing the reported smoking habits with the concentration of serum thiocyanate, which is higher in smokers than in non-smokers and increases with increasing cigarette consumption. When a smoker stops smoking, the level of serum thiocyanate decreases and falls to the level observed in non-smokers after about one month. When the questions asked about smoking were neutral, the reported smoking habits were generally reliable.

[Smoking habits among Norwegian soldiers in Lebanon 1986].

The smoking habits in 287 Norwegian soldiers, mean age 24 years, who served for six months in the United Nations' peace-keeping forces in Lebanon was studied by self-administered questionnaire and determination of serum-thiocyanate. According to the questionnaires and verified by serum thiocyanate 42% were non-smokers at departure, 88% of them were still non-smokers at return. 7% of the smokers quit smoking while in Lebanon.

Diagnosis of vascular injury in children with supracondylar fractures of the humerus.

Four children with suspected vascular injury after supracondylar fractures of the humerus are presented. A noninvasive technique has been used in the diagnosis of vascular injury. A simple non-invasive method using the Doppler equipment connected to a spectrum analyser may exclude the need for arteriography and surgical exploration.