title: 2,3-Butanediol in plasma from an alcoholic mistakenly identified as ethylene glycol by gas-chromatographic analysis.
abstract: 2,3-Butanediol was mistakenly identified as ethylene glycol in plasma specimens from two alcoholic patients. The cyclic phenylboronate ester derivatives of 2,3-butanediol and ethylene glycol had the same retention time when OV-17 was used as the stationary phase for gas chromatography. This led to incorrect diagnosis of ethylene glycol poisoning and unnecessary invasive therapy. Plasma from two chronic alcoholics contained 2,3-butanediol at 3.5 and 3.4 mmol/L. The elimination half-life of 2,3-butanediol was 3.9 days when ethanol was administered during therapy for suspected ethylene glycol poisoning. Low concentrations of 2,3-butanediol might be present in blood of chronic alcoholics as a result of a novel pathway of intermediary metabolism associated with some forms of alcoholism. However, a more likely explanation for fairly high concentrations of 2,3-butanediol is enzymatic production from 2-butanone. This ketone occurs in denatured alcohol preparations often consumed by alcoholics in Sweden.
authors.affiliation: Department of Alcohol Toxicology, University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Gladh
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Karlsson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beck-Friis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood*; D002072:Butylene Glycols / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D019855:Ethylene Glycol; D005026:Ethylene Glycols / Q000097:blood* / Q000506:poisoning; D005410:Flame Ionization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D002072:Butylene Glycols; D005026:Ethylene Glycols; C026978:2,3-butylene glycol; D019855:Ethylene Glycol