Differences In Blood Alcohol Concentration Research Articles

콩비지추출물을 함유한 환제품이 항산화 및 알코올대사에 미치는 영향

Soy pulp, a food by-product derived from tofu and soy milk production, is rich in insoluble dietary fiber, β-conglycinin, and isoflavones. The researchers developed hangover pills incorporating soy pulp. This study aims to investigate the effects of soy pulp extract-based hangover pills on antioxidant and alcohol-degrading activity through in vitro and human tests, including DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity, as well as breath alcohol concentration. Eighteen healthy volunteers participated in this randomized crossover study. The participants were randomly assigned to either the soy pulp mixture (SPM) intake group or the non-intake (PLA) group. The difference in blood alcohol concentration between the test and control groups was measured as the primary outcome. The breath alcohol concentration in the SPM group was significantly reduced by 35% after 15 minutes and 36% after 30 minutes compared to the PLA group post-alcohol consumption. DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity of SPM increased in a dose-dependent manner. SPM demonstrated higher antioxidant activity than both PLA and hangover pills from Company A. Therefore, hangover pills containing soy pulp, which exhibit antioxidant and anti-hangover effects, are anticipated to play a role in alleviating hangovers, aligning with the health and convenience needs of modern individuals.

The Self-Rated Effects of Alcohol Are Related to Presystemic Metabolism of Alcohol.

A high number of alcohol units required to feel a subjective effect of alcohol predicts future alcohol use disorders (AUDs). The subjective response to alcohol can be measured using the validated retrospective self-rated effects of alcohol (SRE) questionnaire. Few studies have investigated the specific relationship between SRE and blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in an experimental setting. Twenty healthy young adult male volunteers who had experience with binge drinking, but did not have AUD, filled out the SRE-questionnaire and were served with a fixed amount of alcohol per body weight. BACs were measured throughout a 12-hour period, reaching a maximum BAC of ~0.13%. Median split of SRE-scores was utilized to compare BACs among participants with relatively high effects (low SRE) and relatively low effects (high SRE) of alcohol. Participants reporting a relatively low SRE-score had a statistically significant higher measured BAC at all time points until alcohol was eliminated. This was especially pronounced during the first 2 hours after alcohol (P = 0.015) without a significant difference in the alcohol elimination rate being detected. The study indicates that a self-ated SRE-score is related to BACs after the ingestion of a standardized amount of alcohol per body weight. Reporting a higher number of alcohol units before feeling an effect was related to a lower BAC. As the differences in BAC between relatively high and low self-rated effects appeared rapidly after intake, this could be interpreted as an effect of presystemic metabolism of alcohol.

Statistical comparisons of 0.08 g/100 ml fortified blood alcohol samples from 6-ml and 10-ml gray-top tubes.

This experiment supplements the study, "Statistical comparisons of blood alcohol samples from 6-ml and 10-ml grey-top tubes". The initial study analyzed fortified samples for blood alcohol concentration (BAC) using two sizes of gray-top tubes: a 10-ml tube containing a nominal 1% sodium fluoride (NaF), a preservative, and a 6-ml tube containing 0.25% NaF, using the variables of time, storage temperature, fill volume, and concentration. From that study, paired t-tests determined no difference in BAC from data sets of the two tube sizes, however, Analysis of Variance, or ANOVA, testing determined the two tube sizes yielded different results at 0.08 g/100 ml. To investigate this potential disparity, this study fortified new samples at 0.08 g/100 and focused on two variables: fill volume and storage duration, while increasing the sample population (to n=8). For this study, the two tube types yielded equivalent concentrations under the majority of conditions studied. Differences between the two tube types were found using paired t-test for the high-volume samples on Days 7 and 30; ANOVA yielded the same results but also determined one additional statistical difference for the Day 30 low-volume samples. However, the differences observed between tube sizes fall within standard deviation ranges established for the analytical method precision profile, indicating statistical differences are not analytically significant. Further studies are needed to investigate the comparability of the tubes under real-world conditions, under which oxygen and/or additives are not added during sample preparation steps or by usage of blood bank products.

Coronavirus lockdown: Excessive alcohol consumption and illicit substance use in DUI subjects

Objective This study investigates the consequences of the SarS-CoV-2 outbreak and of the resulting control measures on alcohol and illicit substance use in a high-risk population for substance-related disorders, utilizing an integrated medico-legal and toxicological approach. Methods The research was structured as a retrospective case-control study of subjects found to be driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol and/or other psychoactive substances who were examined for driver’s license regranting. Alcohol and/or drug use was assessed by comparing cases examined in the period from May to August 2020 (immediately after the lockdown in Italy) to control subjects examined in the same period in 2019. DUI subjects were examined by an integrated approach, descriptive analyses were conducted, and significance was determined by chi-square and Mann-Whitney tests. Variables linked to the pandemic outbreak and resulting lockdown were investigated as predictive factors in determining unfitness to drive. Results Cases (281) were significantly different from controls (261) concerning the judgment of unfitness to drive (p<.001) and had more subjects with chronic excessive alcohol use and/or illicit substance use. The two groups were rather homogeneous concerning the other variables, except for a difference in blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at the time of DUI (p = .027). No statistical association was found between the investigated variables linked to the lockdown and the judgment of unfitness to drive. Conclusions Chronic excessive alcohol consumption and illicit substance use were more frequently observed in cases, which suggests a possible correlation between the pandemic/lockdown restrictions and an increase in psychoactive substance misuse. While these potentially correlative factors are discussed in this article, they require further study. If confirmed, the results should be considered in forensic and clinical settings.

Fatal motorcycle crashes in wide urban area of Zagreb, Croatia—A 10-year review

Objective: The objective of our study was to determine the prevalence of alcohol and drug intoxication among fatally injured motorcyclists in a wide urban area of Zagreb, Croatia.Methods: We conducted a single-center observational retrospective study over a 10-year period (2007–2016) in 3 counties covering an area including 1.2 million residents. We reviewed the records on fatally injured motorcyclists, collecting information relating to sex, age, cause of death, time of death in relation to the time of the crash, and the circumstances of the crash (time of day, day of the week, season). Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and toxicology analysis results were collected and analyzed.Results: We identified 163 deaths (95.7% males, 4.3% females). Overall, 64.2% of the victims were 20 to 39 years old. The majority (50.9%) of those fatally injured were responsible for causing the traffic crash; the rest were determined not to be responsible or the responsibility could not be determined. The most frequent causes of death were multiple injuries (55.8%) and isolated head trauma (23.3%). The rider’s BAC was above the legal limit for driving (>0.50 g/kg) in 53.8% of cases, with a mean BAC of 1.91 g/kg. There was no difference in riding a motorcycle with a BAC above the legal limit between groups defined as younger (≤39 years of age) and older (≥40 years of age). The number of people with an illegal BAC was significantly higher during weekends than during the work week. The BAC of riders who were responsible for the crash was significantly higher than that of those who were not responsible or whose responsibility could not be determined. Use of illegal drugs or nontherapeutic use of legal drugs was not common and was detected in 10.4% of fatally injured riders.Conclusions: Alcohol intoxication has a major role in motorcycle crash–related mortality. A significant difference in BAC between fatally injured riders responsible for the accident and those who were not responsible implies that measures directed toward prevention of drinking and driving behavior could lower the number of fatal motorcycle crashes. Weekend measures, especially during spring and summer, could have particularly significant effects.

Alcohol Drinking and Blood Alcohol Concentration Revisited.

It is widely assumed that the amount of alcohol in the blood reflects the amount of alcohol consumed. However, several factors in addition to amount of alcohol consumed can influence blood alcohol concentration (BAC). This study examines the effect of alcohol dose, concentration, and volume on BAC in rats with a high-alcohol-drinking (HAD) phenotype. Study 1 examined the relationship between the amount of alcohol consumed and BAC. Alcohol-naïve, male, HAD rats (N=7) were given access to alcohol for 2h/d for 9 consecutive days with food and water adlibitum. Alcohol intake and BAC were measured at 30, 60, and 90minutes after onset of access. Study 2 examined the effects of altering alcohol dose, concentration, and volume on BAC (as measured by area under the curve). Alcohol-naïve, male, HAD rats (N=39) were infused, via an intragastric cannulus, with 1.16, 2.44, or 3.38g alcohol/kg body weight (BW), produced by varying alcohol volume while holding concentration constant or by holding volume constant while varying concentration. Other rats were infused with 10, 15, or 20% v/v alcohol solutions while holding dose constant. BAC was more strongly correlated with the ratio of alcohol intake (g/kg BW) to total fluid intake (mls) (R=0.85 to 0.97, p<0.05 to p<0.001) than it was with the amount of alcohol consumed (g/kg BW) (R=0.70 to 0.81, p<0.05). No effect of alcohol dose was seen during the first hour following the onset of an alcohol infusion regardless of whether dose was achieved by altering alcohol volume or concentration. After 1hour, higher alcohol doses were predictive of greater BACs. The fact that a 3-fold difference in alcohol dose did not result in significant differences in BACs during the first 30minutes after ingestion of alcohol has potentially important implications for interpretation of studies that measure alcohol-sensitive end points during this time.

Characteristics of completed suicide in different blood alcohol concentrations in Korea

AimsThis study aimed to determine the role of acute alcohol use among suicide decedents based on their blood alcohol concentrations (BAC), and identify sociodemographic and clinical characteristics associated with the differences in BAC. MethodsData were collected from nationwide autopsies conducted between May 2015 and November 2015 in South Korea. A total of 683 suicide decedents were classified into three groups according to the BAC at the time of autopsy: no alcohol (NA) group (BAC<0.01%), no intoxication (NI) group (0.01≤BAC<0.08%), and intoxication (I) group (BAC≥0.08%). Sociodemographic data and clinical factors related to suicide among the three groups were analyzed using a multinomial logistic regression analysis. ResultsAmong the suicide decedents (N=683), the NA group was 55.6% (N=380), NI group was 15.7% (N=107), and I group was 28.7% (N=196). History of suicide attempts (odds ratio [OR]: 1.798, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.073–3.012) and absence of medical illness (OR: 1.633, CI: 1.038–2.571) were higher in the I group compared to the NA group. Psychiatric and medical illness triggers of suicide were significantly lower in the I group than the NA group (OR: 0.325, CI: 0.118–0.892). Being male (OR: 2.494, CI: 1.363–4.565) and financial problems as triggers of suicide (OR: 3.234, CI: 1.636–6.393) were higher in the NI group than in the NA group. Being male and having financial problems were associated with no intoxication (0.01≤BAC<0.08%), whereas the history of suicide attempts and absence of medical and/or psychiatric illness were associated with acute alcohol intoxication (BAC≥0.08%) in the suicide decedents. ConclusionsSuicide decedents had different characteristics based on different BACs identified in the autopsy. The differences in acute alcohol intoxication and no intoxication in suicide decedents may have implications for the targeted prevention of suicides related to alcohol.

Effects of SM-2015 on Blood Alcohol Clearance and Hangover

Objectives This study investigated the effect of SM-2015 on blood alcohol clearance and hangover. We undertook this study to test whether SM-2015 is effective in decreasing blood alcohol concentration and preventing the symptoms of alcohol-induced hangover. Methods Twenty healthy volunteers participated in this randomized crossover study. All participants were classified between an SM-2015 intake group (test group) and a non-intake group (control group). The primary outcome measure was the difference in blood alcohol concentration and hangover severity scores between the test and control groups. The secondary outcome measure was the difference in a liver function test (LFT) between the test and control groups. Results After alcohol exposure, the sensitivity scores of blood alcohol concentration and hangover symptoms (sleepiness, dizziness, nausea, weakness, stomach pain, diarrhea, and concentration disorder) were significantly decreased in the SM-2015 intake group compared with the non-intake group. There were no differences in the LFT results between the SM-2015 intake group and the non-intake group. Conclusions SM-2015 is effective in decreasing blood alcohol concentration and preventing the symptoms of alcohol-induced hangover. Larger studies are required to confirm these findings. Keywords: SM-2015, blood alcohol concentration, alcohol hangover, liver function test

Blood alcohol concentration in drivers of Liege area (Belgium): a 5-year analysis

Objectives:: The objective of the study was to describe the results of the blood alcohol determinations made on drivers from the Liege area between 2007 and 2012.Methods:: The results were interpreted according to the sex, to the age, to the circumstances and temporal variation of the test. Statistical analysis was performed using R® software.Results:: 2725 determinations were done, mainly after crashes. The mean blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was 1.69 g/L, and 2132 drivers were above the legal threshold. A majority of offenders were men, but the mean BAC did not differ significantly between men and women. A correlation between age and mean BAC can be observed on the positive cases. Lowest and highest mean BACs are observed during the daytime and during the night, respectively, but no significant difference can be observed between the week and the weekend. Finally, no significant difference in BAC was observed over years.

Field Investigation of College Student Alcohol Intoxication and Return Transportation from At-Risk Drinking Locations

Each year hundreds of youths’ lives are lost as a result of alcohol-impaired driving. College students leaving at-risk drinking environments are at particular risk for harm. Yet, little field research has been performed to examine college student transportation choices paired with breath alcohol testing of intoxication. This study assessed the transportation decisions of 7,500 individuals as they left drinking establishments near a large, public university in the southeastern United States. Across 3 years and 72 nights, researchers outside local drinking establishments recruited passersby who agreed to provide their planned transportation method for returning home and their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) from a police-quality breathalyzer. The results indicated that the majority of students were reaching high levels of intoxication. Indeed, the average BAC of drinking participants was .0979 g/dL. More than 50% of the participants reported that they were planning to walk home. Approximately one-quarter of the participants planned to use a designated driver. Fewer than 5% of the participants were unsure about how they were going to get home. Significant differences in BAC were observed as a function of the anticipated method for returning home. Contrary to several previous studies, individuals with designated drivers did not have higher BACs than most other individuals. The BACs of self-reported drivers were of particular concern. Although 36.7% of drivers were completely sober, the average BAC of drinking drivers was .061 g/dL. Furthermore, 39.8% of drivers with BACs over .08 g/dL believed that they were under the legal limit to drive. The results suggest that intervention efforts should focus on promoting safe and completely sober designated drivers.

Sclerotherapy of simple hepatic cysts by repeated aspiration and alcohol instillation

The efficacy and safety of traditional alcohol sclerotherapy procedures are controversial in the management of large simple hepatic cysts. In this study, we aimed to develop and evaluate a novel alcohol sclerotherapy procedure, termed repeated aspiration and alcohol instillation sclerotherapy, for the treatment of simple hepatic cysts. A prospective, double-blind, randomized study was performed. Sixty-seven patients with large simple hepatic cysts were randomized into two groups to receive either single-session alcohol retention sclerotherapy (alcohol was instilled into the cyst cavity, kept for 20 minutes and aspirated) or repeated aspiration and alcohol instillation sclerotherapy (instillation of 30-70 ml of alcohol and immediate aspiration with repetition 3 to 6 times until the estimated alcohol concentration exceeded 80%). The cyst volume reduction was calculated to compare the efficacy of the two procedures. We evaluated the safety of the procedure by monitoring side effects and assaying blood alcohol concentrations at 0, 0.5, 1, 2 and 3 hours after sclerotherapy. The cyst volume reduction in patients undergoing repeated aspiration and alcohol instillation sclerotherapy was significantly higher than that in those receiving alcohol-retention sclerotherapy. The concentration of alcohol in the last aspirated cyst fluid was correlated with the mean volume reduction in patients undergoing repeated aspiration and alcohol instillation sclerotherapy but not in the alcohol-retention group. Only minor side effects occurred in both groups. Although elevated blood alcohol concentration was noted in all patients, it declined to normal levels within 2-3 hours after treatment. There were no significant differences in blood alcohol concentration between the two groups. Repeated aspiration and alcohol instillation sclerotherapy is superior to single-session alcohol-retention sclerotherapy in the management of large simple hepatic cysts.

Individual Differences in Blood Alcohol Concentrations after Moderate Drinking Are Mainly Regulated by Gastric Emptying Rate Together with Ethanol Distribution Volume

Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) differs greatly among individuals, even when people of the same sex and age drink alcohol under the same drinking conditions. In this study, we investigated the main factors involved in the internal reg-ulation of individual differences in BAC, focusing on the alcohol dehydrogenase 1B (ADH1B) genotype, blood acetal-dehyde concentration (BAcH), amount of habitual alcohol consumption, pharmacokinetic parameters of BAC, distribution volume of ethanol (Vd), and gastric emptying rate (GER) under the same drinking conditions. Twenty healthy Japanese males aged between 40 and 59 years old and having the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) genotype of ALDH 2*1/*2 were recruited for this study. The subjects were given 0.32 g ethanol/kg body weight in the form of commercially available beer (5%, v/v). The results showed that BAC-max differed greatly among individuals with a more than two-fold variation. When the BAC-time curve was compared among ADH1B genotypes (ADH1B*1/*1, *1/*2, and *2/*2), there were no differences in BAC among the genotypes. Although BAcH, monthly alcohol consumption, elimination rate of blood ethanol (β value) and ethanol disappearance rate from the body (EDR) can affect BAC, all of them had no correlations with BAC-max. However, Vd (liter/kg), ΔPlasma glucose concentration (ΔPGC = PGC30 min ? PGC0 min) and the serum concentration of gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) did correlate with BAC-max. Model 2 in multiple linear regression analysis showed the optimal model for Vd and GIP with positive correlations with BAC-max. As GIP and ΔPGC are both reflected by gastric emptying rate (GER), we concluded that the individual differences in BAC after moderate drinking are mainly regulated by GER together with Vd. These findings demonstrate that together with body water content, the gastrointestinal tract plays an important role in the regulation of individual differences in BAC, involving first pass metabolism of ethanol.

Drinking behaviours and blood alcohol concentration in four European drinking environments: a cross-sectional study.

BackgroundReducing harm in drinking environments is a growing priority for European alcohol policy yet few studies have explored nightlife drinking behaviours. This study examines alcohol consumption and blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in drinking environments in four European cities.MethodsA short questionnaire was implemented among 838 drinkers aged 16-35 in drinking environments in four European cities, in the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain and the UK. Questions included self-reported alcohol use before interview and expected consumption over the remainder of the night. Breathalyser tests were used to measured breath alcohol concentration (converted to BAC) at interview.ResultsMost participants in the Dutch (56.2%), Spanish (59.6%) and British (61.4%) samples had preloaded (cf Slovenia 34.8%). In those drinking < 3 h at interview, there were no differences in BAC by gender or nationality. In UK participants, BAC increased significantly in those who had been drinking longer, reaching 0.13% (median) in females and 0.17% in males drinking > 5 h. In other nationalities, BAC increases were less pronounced or absent. High BAC (> 0.08%) was associated with being male, aged > 19, British and having consumed spirits. In all cities most participants intended to drink enough alcohol to constitute binge drinking.ConclusionsDifferent models of drinking behaviour are seen in different nightlife settings. Here, the UK sample was typified by continued increases in inebriation compared with steady, more moderate intoxication elsewhere. With the former being associated with higher health risks, European alcohol policy must work to deter this form of nightlife.

Age and gender differences in blood-alcohol concentration in apprehended drivers in relation to the amounts of alcohol consumed

This article reports the age, gender, and blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) of people apprehended in Sweden for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUIA) over an 8-year period (2000–2007). Duplicate determinations of ethanol were made in venous blood by headspace gas chromatography and results were reported positive at a cut-off concentration of 0.1 g/L (10 mg/100 ml or 0.01 g%). The mean, median and highest BAC was 1.74 g/L, 1.70 g/L and 5.18 g/L, respectively. The vast majority of offenders were men (89.5%) with a mean age of 39.0 ± 14.6 y (±SD). The women (10.5%) were a few years older 41.8 ± 13.6 y ( p < 0.001). The mean BAC in the men (1.73 ± 0.85 g/L) did not differ significantly ( p > 0.05) from women (1.77 ± 0.87 g/L). The youngest offenders aged 15–20 y ( N = 3513) had a mean BAC of 1.30 ± 0.60 g/L (median 1.32), which was significantly less ( p < 0.001) than people aged 40–50 y ( N = 6644); mean 1.90 g/L (median 2.0 g/L). In 95 individuals (89 men and 6 women) the BAC exceeded 4.0 g/L, which is a level considered to cause death by acute alcohol poisoning. The Widmark formula was used to calculate that a man (80 kg) with a BAC of 1.7 g/L has 95 g ethanol (∼12 units of alcohol) in the body compared with 61 g (∼8 units) for a woman (60 kg). This study verifies that the average drunken driver in Sweden is typically a binge drinker and education programs and treatment for alcohol-use disorder might be a more appropriate sanction than the more conventional penalties for alcohol-impaired driving.

눈꽃동충하초 물추출물이 흰쥐의 알코올대사에 미치는 영향

본 연구에서는 눈꽃동충하초 물추출물이 알코올 대사에 미치는 효과를 동물실험을 통하여 살펴보았다. 알코올과 그대사산물인 아세트알데히드의 혈중 농도를 측정한 결과, 눈꽃동충하초 물추출물의 경구투여는 흰쥐의 혈중 알코올 농도에는 영향을 미치지 않았으나, 3, 6, 9시간째의 혈중 아세트알데히드 농도를 유의적으로 감소시켰다. 특히 100 ㎎/㎏ 농도의 눈꽃동충하초 물추출물 투여 시 혈중 아세트알데히드의 농도-시간 곡선하 면적에서 유의적인 감소를 보였다. 반면에 알코올 투여 후 9시간째 측정한 간의 알코올 탈수소효소, 알데히드 탈수소효소, MEOS의 활성은 눈꽃동충하초물추출물 투여에 따른 변화를 보이지 않았다. 종합적으로 눈꽃동충하초 물추출물은 혈중 알코올 농도에는 영향을 미치지 않으나 혈중 아세트알데히드 농도를 감소시키는 것으로 보인다. 눈꽃동충하초 물추출물이 혈중 아세트알데히드 수준을 낮추는 작용기전과 관련하여, 경시적인 알코올대사 효소활성의 변화와 간 손상 관련 지표 조사 등에 관한 추가적인 연구가 필요할 것으로 사료된다.

Short-term cognition deficits during early alcohol withdrawal are associated with elevated plasma homocysteine levels in patients with alcoholism

Higher plasma homocysteine levels have been found in actively drinking alcoholics as well as in early abstinent patients. Furthermore, elevated homocysteine levels are associated with cognitive decline in dementia and in healthy elderly people. The aim of this prospective study was to investigate a possible association between homocysteine serum levels and clinically well known cognitive deficits during alcohol withdrawal. We examined 89 patients (67 men, 22 women) during early withdrawal treatment. Cognitive function was assessed using the c.I.-Test. Patients with cognitive deficits showed significantly higher homocysteine serum levels (Mann-Whitney-U, p=0.004) than patients without cognitive deficits, while the difference in blood alcohol concentration was not significant. Using logistic regression analysis, cognitive deficits were best predicted by high homocysteine serum levels (Wald chi2=4.071, OR=1.043, 95% CI 1.001-1.086, p<0.05), which was confirmed by Receiver Operating Curves (AUC=0.68, 95% CI=0.57-0.79, p=0.004). The present results show first evidence of an association between elevated plasma homocysteine levels in alcoholics and cognition deficits in patients undergoing alcohol withdrawal.

Fatty acid ethyl esters: markers of alcohol abuse and alcoholism

Chronic alcoholism, which is associated with hepatic, pancreatic, and myocardial diseases, is one of the major health problems in the United States with high morbidity and mortality. Many individuals who abuse alcohol chronically die even before reaching the clinical stage of the disease. Reliable biomarkers of the diseases induced by chronic alcohol abuse, as well as for alcoholism, currently are not available. In the current study, we measured plasma concentrations of fatty acid ethyl esters [(FAEEs), nonoxidative metabolites of ethanol] in 39 patients with a detectable concentration of alcohol in their blood samples. In turn, we determined the relation of FAEE concentrations with blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Of 39 patients in whom we evaluated this relation, only five had a history of chronic alcohol abuse, and six had a history of acute alcohol abuse. Patients' age ranged from 25 to 71 years. Within this age range, greater concentrations of FAEEs were found in the plasma samples obtained from patients in the 41- to 50-year age group. There were no sex-related differences in BAC, nor in FAEE concentrations. Thirteen patients had a BAC greater than 300 mg%. For 11 patients, the BAC ranged between 200 and 299 mg%, and, for 12 patients, the BAC ranged between 100 and 199 mg%. In comparison with findings for patients with a BAC that ranged between 100 and 299 mg%, the FAEE concentrations were approximately twofold higher in patients with a BAC greater than 300 mg%. Ethyl palmitate and ethyl oleate were the main FAEEs detected in most patients. In general, FAEE concentrations increased with increasing BAC. However, in comparison with patients with a history of acute alcohol abuse, a greater increase in total FAEE concentrations was observed in patients with a history of chronic alcohol abuse (4,250 ng/ml and 15,086 ng/ml, respectively). Fatty acid ethyl esters were either detected in trace amounts or not detectable in the plasma of control subjects with no known alcohol ingestion. These results support our hypothesis that nonoxidative metabolism of ethanol to FAEEs is an important pathway of ethanol disposition during chronic alcohol abuse, and that FAEE concentrations can be a more reliable biomarker of chronic alcohol abuse than a history of acute alcohol abuse.

Magnitude and Time-Course of Arterio-Venous Differences in Blood-Alcohol Concentration in Healthy Men

Human studies of arterio-venous (AV) differences in drug concentrations and the consequences for pharmacokinetic modelling and concentration-effect relationships are very limited. We therefore investigated the intravenous and intra-arterial concentrations of alcohol (ethanol) during the absorption, distribution and elimination stages of alcohol metabolism in healthy men. Nine male volunteers aged 26-67 years drank 0.6 g alcohol/kg bodyweight in 2-15 minutes. The drink was prepared from 95% v/v alcohol, which was diluted with an alcohol-free beverage to 20% v/v. Before the start of drinking and for 6-7 hours post-administration, blood samples were drawn at 15- to 20-minute intervals from indwelling catheters in a radial artery and a cubital vein on the same arm. The blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) was determined by headspace gas chromatography, and blood-water content was measured by desiccation. The peak concentration (Cmax) of alcohol in arterial blood was 0.98 g/L (SD 0.209) compared with 0.84 g/L (SD 0.176) for venous blood (p < 0.001), whereas median time to reach Cmax (tmax) was the same (35 minutes). The AV difference was greatest at 10 minutes after the end of drinking (mean 0.20 g/L [range 0.09-0.40 g/L]), decreasing as the absorption of alcohol continued. At a median time of 90 minutes post-administration (range 45-105 minutes), the AV difference was momentarily zero. At later times, the AV differences became increasingly negative and at 280 minutes post-administration the mean was -0.051 g/L (range -0.025 to -0.078 g/L). The slope of the post-absorptive phase (k0) was 0.116 g/L/h (SD 0.0167) for arterial blood compared with 0.109 g/L/h (SD 0.0185) for venous blood (p < 0.001). The extrapolated time to reach zero BAC was 391 minutes (SD 34) for arterial blood and 420 minutes (SD 41) for venous blood; the difference of 29 minutes was statistically highly significant (p < 0.001). The apparent volume of distribution of alcohol, the area under the concentration-time curves (AUC) and the water content of arterial and venous blood samples were not significantly different for the two sampling compartments. The arterial and venous blood-alcohol profiles were shifted in time owing to the time it takes for alcohol to equilibrate between arterial blood and tissue water. Alcohol is metabolised in the liver but not in muscle tissue, which acts as a reservoir for alcohol. The concentrations of alcohol in arterial and venous blood were the same at only one timepoint, which signifies complete equilibration of alcohol in total body water. During the entire post-absorptive phase, the concentration of alcohol in venous blood draining skeletal muscles was slightly greater than the arterial blood concentration; therefore, the AV differences were negative.

Alcohol tolerance and nicotine cross-tolerance in adolescent mice.

The present experiment was designed to evaluate the development of tolerance to alcohol and cross-tolerance to nicotine in adolescent mice. C57BL/6J mice (30-40 days old) were injected IP with alcohol (2.5 g/kg) for 4 consecutive days. A control group received four saline injections. On the test day, all subjects received an alcohol injection. Tolerance to alcohol's hypothermic effect was observed. Mice (male and female) exposed to alcohol for the 4 previous days showed less hypothermic response to an alcohol challenge than animals injected for 4 days with saline and then challenged with alcohol. Tolerance to alcohol's motor incoordinating effects and differences in blood alcohol concentrations were not observed. Thirty days following alcohol treatment, the same mice received a single nicotine injection (1 mg/kg) to assess cross-tolerance. Nicotine's effect on locomotor activity (open field test) and rectal temperature varied as a function of prior adolescent alcohol exposure and gender. Specifically, female mice who had been exposed to alcohol administrations were more resistant to nicotine's effect on locomotion and temperature than saline-treated animals. In summary, these data demonstrate that adolescent mice develop tolerance to some, but not all, alcohol-induced responses, and that female mice are cross-tolerant to nicotine's effects on temperature and activity.

Neonatal Alcohol Exposure Produces Hyperactivity in High-Alcohol-Sensitive But Not in Low-Alcohol-Sensitive Rats

Children of women who consume high amounts of alcohol during their pregnancies vary greatly in physical and behavioral outcomes. Although many factors, such as dose and timing of exposure, undoubtedly contribute to this variation, one important determinant may be genetic differences in the response to alcohol. The present study examined activity levels in high alcohol sensitivity (HAS) and low alcohol sensitivity (LAS) rats following neonatal alcohol exposure. These lines were selectively bred for extremes in ethanol-induced “sleep times.” The HAS and LAS offspring were exposed to alcohol via an artificial rearing procedure using the “pup-in-the-cup” technique. Rat pups were exposed to ethanol (6 g/kg/day) from postnatal day (PD) 4 through 7 and faded to a dose of 3 g/kg/day on PD 8 and 9. An artificially reared gastrostomy control group (GC) and a normally reared suckle control group (SC) were also included. Activity level was measured on PD 18 through PD 21 for 30 min daily in automated activity monitors. Neonatal ethanol exposure produced overactivity in HAS rats, relative to their controls, but the same ethanol treatment had no effect on the LAS rats. Importantly, there were no differences in blood alcohol concentrations (around 420 mg/dl) between the two lines during the treatment period. These data suggest that genetic differences in response to alcohol may be a predictor for some of the behavioral teratogenic effects of alcohol.