Evaluation of Vitreous Humor and Urine Alcohol Levels as Indices of Blood Alcohol Levels in 75 Autopsy Cases

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Abstract
Blood: vitreous humor alcohol ratios were calculated in 75 autopsy cases. The mean ratio was 0.81 with a wide range from 0.55 to 1.38. The distribution was unimodal with a mode of 0.73–0.74 and a skew toward the higher ratios. This is consistant with what is known of the absorption and elimination phases of alcohol. Blood alcohols estimated from vitreous alcohols using 0.81 (mean ratio) as the conversion factor shows a wide distribution, with only 35% falling within ± 10% of the measured blood alcohol value. Extrapolation of blood alcohol values from vitreous humor alcohol values is unreliable. A parallel study of 65 autopsy cases demonstrated urine alcohol levels also to be unreliable as indicators of blood alcohol levels.

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