The purpose of this study was to measure a screening and a relapse biochemical alcohol marker in Finnish male alcohol positive drivers. The statutory limit for drunken driving is 0.50 per thousand. The subjects were screened from the traffic flow in road-side surveys. The screening marker was gamma-glutamyltransferase, GGT and the relapse marker carbohydrate-deficient transferrin, CDT. In addition the drivers were interviewed about their alcohol consumption using the structured questionnaire CAGE. The markers were also evaluated as predictive factors for driving under the influence of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) up to of 0.20 per thousand and 0.50 per thousand. In annual road-side surveys in 1996-1997 about 30.000 drivers were breath tested and 346 were alcohol positive. Samples for alcohol, GGT and CDT determinations were received from 237 drivers. Drivers with a low blood alcohol concentration (< 0.20 per thousand) had significantly lower values of GGT and CDT than drivers with a BAC of 0.20-0.49 per thousand, and with 0.50-1.19 per thousand and with 1.20 per thousand or more. According to the results of the CAGE-questionnaire, the heavy users of alcohol had significantly higher BAC (p<0.005) and GGT values (p<0.01). (Abstract only) (Author/publisher) For the covering abstract of the conference see ITRD Abstract No. E201067.
Samenvatting