title: The Effects of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease on Forensic Breath Alcohol Testing.
abstract: Fifteen test subjects, 10 of whom were diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), were dosed with alcohol to BACs above 0.150 g/dL. Blood and breath assays taken at 20-min intervals for 8 h after dosing demonstrated close agreement between postabsorptive BAC and BrAC values. Three subjects exhibited elevated breath alcohol concentrations up to 0.105 g/dL during the absorptive phase that were apparently due to the passage of gastric alcohol through the lower esophageal sphincter not attributable to eruction or regurgitation. The effect of gastric alcohol was not consistently proportional to the amount of unabsorbed gastric alcohol. Absorption of alcohol in the esophagus explains the nonproportionality. Breath samples contaminated by GERD-related alcohol leakage from the stomach into a breath sample were found only when there was a high concentration of alcohol in the stomach. When contaminated breath samples were encountered, they were irreproducible in magnitude.
authors.affiliation: Central Texas Analytical Consultants, P.O. Box 569, Eddy, TX, 76524.
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Booker
authors.affiliation: Central Texas Analytical Consultants, P.O. Box 569, Eddy, TX, 76524.
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Renfroe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000067401:Blood Alcohol Content; D001944:Breath Tests; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000032:analysis; D000431:Ethanol / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D053593:Forensic Toxicology; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000378:metabolism*; D005766:Gastrointestinal Contents / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000067401:Blood Alcohol Content; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol
keywords: GERD; breath alcohol; breath alcohol contamination; forensic science; gastroesophageal reflux disease; gastroparesis