Comparison of serum fatty acid ethyl esters and urinary 5-hydroxytryptophol as biochemical markers of recent ethanol consumption.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effects of an acute dose of ethanol on serum fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) concentration and urinary 5-hydroxytryptophol (5-HTOL)/5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA) ratio.


METHODS
Sixteen (14 male, 2 female) heavy alcohol drinkers were tested in a single, 2-day long session. Six participants received 1.5 g/l of ethanol/l of body water (approximately 0.75 g/kg of body weight, low dose group: LD) and 10 participants received 2.0 g/l of ethanol ( approximately 1.0 g/kg of body weight, high dose group: HD) in four divided doses every 20 min. Blood, urine, and breath samples were collected repeatedly over 36 h following the ingestion of ethanol and were analyzed for the presence of FAEE, 5-HTOL/5-HIAA, and ethanol, respectively. Serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), a marker of chronic ethanol use, was also included.


RESULTS
The breath ethanol level peaked approximately 1 h after the last dose, at 95 and 120 mg/dl for the LD and HD groups, respectively. The mean ratio of urinary 5-HTOL/5-HIAA was significantly elevated 5 and 9 h after ethanol administration, but returned to baseline 13 h after ethanol administration. This ratio was twice as high for the HD group compared with the LD group. Serum levels of FAEEs were significantly elevated at 5 h, but not 13 h after ethanol administration. There were no time-dependent changes in serum GGT levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Measuring the levels of FAEE and 5-HTOL/5-HIAA ratio provides a convenient method to detect recent, particularly binge-type, ethanol use, but these measures may have limited applicability in detecting ethanol use in traditional clinical trial settings.
Bisaga
Adam
A
Division on Substance Abuse, NYS Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. amb107@columbia.edu
Laposata
Michael
M
Xie
Shan
S
Evans
Suzette M
SM
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D004952:Esters; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000652:urine; D006917:Hydroxytryptophol / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors
D015415:Biomarkers; D004952:Esters; D005227:Fatty Acids; D006917:Hydroxytryptophol; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid