265 FATTY ACID ETHYL ESTERS AND BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL: INTOXICATION, TOLERANCE, AND INFLUENCE OF GENDER AND AGE

• Published in: Journal of investigative medicine Vol. 53; no. 1; p. S124
• Main Authors: Braddock, A. L., Kulig, C. C., Morfin, J. P., Beresford, T. P., Everson, G. T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Sage Publications Ltd 01.01.2005
• ISSN: 1081-5589; 1708-8267
• DOI: 10.2310/6650.2005.00005.264

PurposeBlood Alcohol Levels (BAL) correlate with alcohol intoxication and tolerance. In this study we correlated concentrations of Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters (FAEEs) with BAL and examined the effects of gender and age.MethodsThis study was approved by the Colorado Multiple Institutional Review Board for monitoring of human research. Samples for inclusion in this study were identified by positive BAL. Samples positive for BAL (N=48, men=38, women=10) were labeled with years of age, BAL and gender (without patient identifiers) and analyzed for FAEEs by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).ResultsAll forty-eight samples with positive BAL had measurable FAEE levels. BAL correlated with individual FAEEs (ethyl palmitate, ethyl oleate, and ethyl stearate, Spearman's rank r=0.73-0.77, p≤0.001) and total FAEEs (Spearman's rank r=0.77, p≤0.001). Patients with BAL≥100 mg/dL (intoxicated) or BAL≥200 mg/dL (tolerant) had total FAEE concentration greater than 3000 nM (Fisher's exact: 4.38, p≤0.0001 and 4.75, p≤0.00001, respectively). Mean BAL was not significantly different by gender (218.68±114.32 mg/dL for men, 174.9±113.90 mg/dL for women, p=0.29). Total FAEE concentration was 8513.1±5999.1 nM for men and 4880.8±4259.5 nM for women. Controlling for blood ethanol levels and age in an ANCOVA on the rank transformation of total FAEEs, gender was not a statistically significant covariate (p=0.12). Divided into two groups by median age (43.5 years), total FAEE concentration was 9591.9±5772.5 nM for the younger group and 5920.9±5402.3 nM for the older group. Mean BAL was significantly different by age (245.21±96.832 mg/dL for the younger group, 173.92±121.39 mg/dL for the older group, p=.01). Controlling for blood ethanol levels and gender in an ANCOVA on the rank transformation of total FAEEs, age was not a statistically significant covariate (p=0.07).ConclusionThe strong correlations between BAL and FAEE levels confirm the utility of plasma FAEE levels as an indication of BAL. In addition, plasma FAEE levels greater than 3000 nM correlated with BAL consistent with intoxication and tolerance. Our analysis failed to demonstrate a significant relationship between gender or age and FAEE levels.