Publication
Title
The influence of the body mass index (BMI) on the volume of distribution of ethanol
Author
Abstract
The volume of distribution of ethanol was already established in 1930s by Widmark. However, since then the average body composition has changed considerably. The effect of the body mass index (BMI) on the volume of distribution of ethanol was evaluated in this study. Fifty healthy volunteers (23 men and 27 women), with BMI-values between 16.0 and 36.0 kg/m(2), were asked to drink a dose of 0.4 g ethanol per kilogram body weight after an overnight fast. The ethanol content was measured by a fully validated headspace-GC-FID method. The volume of distribution of ethanol varied between 0.40 and 0.68 L/kg for women, and between 0.43 and 0.73 L/kg for men. For both sexes, the volume of distribution decreased with increasing BMI. Regression analysis resulted in the following equations: volume of distribution = 0.8202 - 0.0090 x BMI for men (r = 0.66), and 0.7772 - 0.0099 x BMI for women (r = 0.78). Population probability prediction interval limits were also calculated. In view of the current study, fixed values for the volume of distribution of 0.7 L/kg and 0.6 L/kg for men and women, respectively, often applied in legal blood alcohol calculations, are mainly suited to judge underweight or normal weight people, but not obese persons. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Forensic science international. - Lausanne, 1978, currens
Publication
Lausanne : 2014
ISSN
0379-0738 [print]
1872-6283 [online]
DOI
10.1016/J.FORSCIINT.2014.04.036
Volume/pages
243 (2014) , p. 74-78
ISI
000343141400012
Pubmed ID
24846125
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 10.12.2014
Last edited 09.10.2023
To cite this reference