Ethanol elimination rates in men and women in consideration of the calculated liver weight.
The purpose of the study was to examine gender differences on the pharmacokinetics of ethanol. Sixty-eight healthy men and 64 healthy women with normal body mass indexes received between 0.79 and 0.95 g ethanol/kg body weight in the form of their choice after they had eaten a "typical" breakfast. The aimed concentration for both genders was a blood alcohol concentration C(0) of 0.104 g/dl. Blood samples in the elimination phase were taken in 10- to 20-min intervals beginning after completion of absorption. The maximum blood ethanol concentration was 0.0819+/-0.0184 g/dl for women and 0.0841+/-0.0155 g/dl for men. The hourly ethanol elimination rate, calculated over a linear function, in blood of 0.0179+/-0.0030 g/dl/h in women was significantly higher than the 0.0159+/-0.0029 g/dl/h for men (P<.0001). In relation to the liver weight, the hourly elimination rates were 5.008+/-0.678 g/kg liver/h for women and 4.854+/-0.659 g/kg liver/h for men, and were not statistically significant. The different liver masses as calculated in relation to the distribution volume account for the differing ethanol elimination rates between men and women.
Dettling
Andrea
A
Institute of Forensic Medicine and Traffic Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Vossstrasse 2, 69115, Heidelberg, Germany. andrea_dettling@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Fischer
Florian
F
Böhler
Svenja
S
Ulrichs
Fee
F
Skopp
Gisela
G
Graw
Matthias
M
Haffner
Hans-Thomas
HT
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000431:Ethanol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D012727:Sex Characteristics
D000431:Ethanol