Citation

Wax PM, Hoffman RS, Goldfrank LR. Ann. Emerg. Med. 1992; 21(3): 254-259.

Affiliation

Department of Emergency Medicine, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York City.

Comment In:

Ann Emerg Med 1993;22(2):269

Copyright

(Copyright © 1992, American College of Emergency Physicians, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

1536484

Abstract

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the reliability of a recently developed electrochemical meter to rapidly (within 60 seconds) measure blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in the emergency department. DESIGN: A prospective study comparing the meter data with that of immunoassay and gas chromatography criterion standards undertaken during a ten-week period. SETTING: Adult ED of a municipal hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred eighty-three consecutive patients with altered mental status or suspected alcohol intoxication. INTERVENTIONS: Each patient underwent routine phlebotomy, and blood samples were obtained for meter and immunoassay BAC determinations. The first 60% of patients also underwent gas chromatography BAC determination. RESULTS: Two hundred nineteen patients (60%) had BAC detectable by both meter and immunoassay. BAC measurement by the meter correlated strongly with immunoassay and gas chromatography determinations (Pearson's correlation coefficient, r = .94; P less than .00000001 for both correlations). CONCLUSION: The electrochemical meter provides a rapid and reliable BAC measurement in the ED.

Language: en