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Case Reports

The Effect of an Elevated Serum Methanol Concentration on the Intoxilyzer 5000C Results of a Drinking Driver

Pages 171-174 | Published online: 22 Nov 2013
 

ABSTRACT

A forty-year-old man was involved in a motor vehicle collision at 8:30 p.m. He was taken for medical assessment at a nearby hospital. Blood samples were collected at 10:41 p.m. and an alcohol screen was conducted on the serum. The serum alcohol (ethanol) concentration was found to be 346 milligrams in 100 millilitres of serum (mg/100 mL). In addition, an elevated serum methanol concentration of 4 mg/100 mL was also determined, which could be a biomarker of alcohol dependency or chronic, heavy consumption of alcohol. Two Intoxilyzer 5000C breath tests were conducted by the police at the hospital at 1:17 a.m. and 1:38 a.m., and the results were 240 mg/100 mL and 250 mg/100 mL, respectively. No Interferent message occurred and the Intoxilyzer results were not significantly increased by the presence of this high serum methanol concentration.

RÉSUMÉ

Un homme de 40 ans a été impliqué dans un accident de la route à 20h30. On l'a transporté à un hôpital avoisinant où il a été examiné. Des échantillons sanguins ont été prélevés à 22h41 et on a fait un test de dépistage d'alcool sur le sérum. La taux d'alcoolémie du sérum (éthanol) était de 346 mg par 100 mL de sérum. De plus, un taux élevé de methanol de 4 mg/100 mL fût trouvé, pouvant indiquer un biomarqueur de dépendance alcoolique ou d'une consommation d'alcool lourde et chronique. Deux éthylotests Intoxilyzer 5000C ont été menés par la police à l'hôpital à 1h17 et 1h38 et les résultats étaient de 240 mg/100 mL et de 250 mg/100 mL respectivement. Aucun message ‘Interferent’ s'est produit et les résultats de l'Intoxilyzer n'ont pas augmente de façon significative par la présence de ce taux élevé de methanol.

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