title: Ethanol vapor above skin: determination by a gas sensor instrument and relationship with plasma concentration.
abstract: Studies with a new instrument show that blood ethanol concentrations in rats and humans can be estimated by measurement of ethanol vapor above the skin. After intravenous bolus administration of ethanol (1 g/kg) to rats a novel device based on the Figaro sensor was placed above the animal's abdomen. Plasma and skin vapor ethanol concentrations, analyzed by gas chromatography and sensor, respectively, declined in parallel (r = 0.96). In healthy human subjects, plasma and skin vapor concentrations, measured on the palm, also declined in parallel after intravenous ethanol infusion (1 hr, 0.5 g/kg), r = 0.99. In 10 alcoholic liver disease outpatients attending clinic in whom plasma ethanol concentrations ranged from 32-304 mg/dl, the correlation of plasma ethanol determined directly by gas chromatography and indirectly by skin vapor analysis was slope = 0.93, intercept = 1.8, r = 0.94. In controlled studies, skin vapor measurements are comparable with breathalyzer determinations; they may be performed in situations where breathalyzer measurements are inconvenient or where continuous monitoring is desirable.
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Giles
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meggiorini
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Renaud
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Thiessen
authors.forename: E I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Vidins
authors.forename: K V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Compton
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Saldivia
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Orrego
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Israel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism*; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol