title: Laboratory testing for recent alcohol consumption: comparison of ethanol, methanol, and 5-hydroxytryptophol.
abstract: The ratio of 5-hydroxytryptophol to 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5HTOL/5HIAA) in urine was compared with concentrations of ethanol and methanol as a way to monitor recent alcohol consumption. During detoxification of alcohol-dependent subjects, ethanol persisted longer in urine than in breath or plasma. Blood and urinary methanol remained increased for 2-6 h after blood ethanol had returned to background concentrations, whereas 5HTOL/5HIAA remained increased for 6-15 h. In healthy volunteers who had ingested alcohol (range 3-98 g) the previous afternoon or evening, 87% (for men) and 59% (for women) of all drinking occasions exceeding 7 g of alcohol were identified by an increased 5HTOL/5HIAA in the first morning urine void. This compared with 32% and 12%, respectively, identified by analysis of ethanol (>200 micromol/L). No gender difference in the excretion pattern of 5HTOL/5HIAA was seen. The results demonstrate that 5HTOL/5HIAA provides a specific and more sensitive method to detect recent alcohol consumption than does ethanol or methanol.
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Institute, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Psychiatry Section at St. Gorans Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Helander
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000652:urine*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000652:urine*; D001944:Breath Tests; D000431:Ethanol / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000652:urine; D006917:Hydroxytryptophol / Q000652:urine*; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D000432:Methanol / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D006917:Hydroxytryptophol; D000431:Ethanol; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D000432:Methanol