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Abstinence monitoring of suspected drinking drivers: ethyl glucuronide in hair versus CDT


Liniger, B; Nguyen, A; Friedrich-Koch, A; Yegles, M (2010). Abstinence monitoring of suspected drinking drivers: ethyl glucuronide in hair versus CDT. Traffic Injury Prevention, 11(2):123-126.

Abstract

Objective: Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) determinations in the hair of self-reported teetotallers were reviewed and compared with CDT blood tests (by immunochemistry and HPLC).
Methods: A retrospective study was carried out on 154 people whose fitness to drive had to be assessed because of the suspicion of relevant alcohol problems.
Results: EtG was detected in 55% of the hair samples, and abstinence thus disproved. In two thirds (67%) of these cases, alcohol consumption was even shown to be excessive (EtG values >30 pg/mg). Of the EtG-positive subjects 54% and 82% had CDT values within the reference range by immunochemistry and HPLC, respectively. 39% of the EtG-negative subjects had increased immunochemical CDT values; in contrast, 96% had HPLC CDT values within the normal range.
Conclusions: EtG analysis in hair is a useful tool for assessing fitness to drive in suspected drinking drivers; compared to CDT values it provides a direct and unequivocal marker for reliable abstinence monitoring over a period of several months, depending on the length of the hair.

Abstract

Objective: Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) determinations in the hair of self-reported teetotallers were reviewed and compared with CDT blood tests (by immunochemistry and HPLC).
Methods: A retrospective study was carried out on 154 people whose fitness to drive had to be assessed because of the suspicion of relevant alcohol problems.
Results: EtG was detected in 55% of the hair samples, and abstinence thus disproved. In two thirds (67%) of these cases, alcohol consumption was even shown to be excessive (EtG values >30 pg/mg). Of the EtG-positive subjects 54% and 82% had CDT values within the reference range by immunochemistry and HPLC, respectively. 39% of the EtG-negative subjects had increased immunochemical CDT values; in contrast, 96% had HPLC CDT values within the normal range.
Conclusions: EtG analysis in hair is a useful tool for assessing fitness to drive in suspected drinking drivers; compared to CDT values it provides a direct and unequivocal marker for reliable abstinence monitoring over a period of several months, depending on the length of the hair.

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Additional indexing

Item Type:Journal Article, refereed, original work
Communities & Collections:04 Faculty of Medicine > Institute of Legal Medicine
Dewey Decimal Classification:340 Law
610 Medicine & health
Language:English
Date:April 2010
Deposited On:07 Apr 2010 06:35
Last Modified:01 Oct 2019 11:28
Publisher:Taylor & Francis
ISSN:1538-9588
Additional Information:This is an electronic version of an article published in Traffic Injury Prevention, Vol. 11:2 (2010) S. 123-126. Traffic Injury Prevention is available online at http://www.informaworld.com/openurl?genre=article&issn=1538-9588&volume=11&issue=2&spage=123
OA Status:Green
Free access at:Publisher DOI. An embargo period may apply.
Publisher DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/15389580903518280
PubMed ID:20373230

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