[Blood alcohol concentrations after oral alcohol administration--effect of age and sex]

Abstract

Blood concentrations following oral ingestion of ethanol are lower than after intravenous injection, currently explained by first pass metabolism of ethanol in the stomach, which depends among others on the activity of gastric alcohol dehydrogenase. Since this has been shown to be different in various groups of subjects it was intended to examine the influence of age and gender on concentrations and elimination rates of ethanol after oral administration. Following the ingestion of 0.3 g ethanol/kg body weight blood concentrations in 24 volunteers (six mother daughter- and six father son pairs) were determined. 30 and 60 min after ingestation blood ethanol concentrations were significantly higher in the elderly as compared to the younger, but there was no difference between female and male subjects. The ethanol elimination rates of the four groups showed no significant difference. As known from other studies the activity of gastric alcohol dehydrogenase in women is significantly lower as compared to men; so that higher blood ethanol concentrations had to be expected. Thus the results support indirectly the hypothesis that gastric first pass metabolism is not only influenced by the activity of gastric alcohol dehydrogenase. Other possible determinants are discussed. Significant higher blood ethanol concentrations after ethanol ingestion in the elderly have to be considered for example with respect to driving ability.