Citation

Snyder H, Williams D, Zink B, Reilly K. J. Emerg. Med. 1992; 10(2): 129-133.

Affiliation

Department of Emergency Medicine, Albany Medical College, New York 12208.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1992, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

1607618

Abstract

A retrospective review of 81 emergency department patients was performed to determine the accuracy of blood ethanol levels (BEL) calculated from serum osmolality. The osmolar gap (measured-calculated serum osmolality) was used to determine the calculated BEL. The mean difference between calculated and measured BEL was 49.2 mg/dL. Calculated BEL overestimated measured BEL in 83% of patients. Adding a correction factor for unmeasured osmoles to the equation for calculated serum osmolality will reduce this error.

Language: en