Breath alcohol analysis incorporating standardization to water vapour is as precise as blood alcohol analysis

A novel breath-alcohol analyzer based on the standardization of the breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) to the alveolar-air water vapour concentration has been developed and evaluated. The present study compares results with this particular breath analyzer with arterial blood alcohol concentrations (ABAC), the most relevant quantitative measure of brain alcohol exposure. The precision of analysis of alcohol in arterial blood and breath were determined as well as the agreement between ABAC and BrAC over time post-dosing.Twelve healthy volunteers were administered 0.6 g alcohol/kg bodyweight via an orogastric tube. Duplicate breath and arterial blood samples were obtained simultaneously during the absorption, distribution and elimination phases of the alcohol metabolism with particular emphasis on the absorption phase.The precision of the breath analyzer was similar to the determination of blood alcohol concentration by headspace gas chromatography (CV 2.40 vs. 2.38%, p = 0.43). The ABAC/BrAC ratio stabilized 30 min post-dosing (2089 ± 99; mean ± SD). Before this the BrAC tended to underestimate the coexisting ABAC.In conclusion, breath alcohol analysis utilizing standardization of alcohol to water vapour was as precise as blood alcohol analysis, the present “gold standard” method. The BrAC reliably predicted the coexisting ABAC from 30 min onwards after the intake of alcohol.