Commercial Ethyl Glucuronide (EtG) and Ethyl Sulfate (EtS) Testing is Not Vulnerable to Incidental Alcohol Exposure in Pregnant Women. (2nd January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ondersma, Steven J.; Beatty, Jessica R.; Rosano, Thomas G.; Strickler, Ronald C.; Graham, Amy E.; Sokol, Robert J.
• Is Part Of: Substance use & misuse. Volume 51:Number 1(2016)
• Page Start: 126
• Page End: 130
• Publication Date: 2016-01-02
• Subjects: Ethyl glucuronide -- ethyl sulfate -- substance abuse detection/methods -- pregnancy -- alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder; Narcotic habit -- Periodicals; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Substance abuse -- Periodicals; Behavior, Addictive -- Periodicals; Sustance-Related Disorders -- Periodicals; 362.2905
• DOI: 10.3109/10826084.2015.1073324
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1082-6084

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Background: Ethyl Glucoronide (EtG) and Ethyl Sulfate (EtS) have shown promise as biomarkers for alcohol and may be sensitive enough for use with pregnant women in whom even low-level alcohol use is important. However, there have been reports of over-sensitivity of EtG and EtS to incidental exposure to sources such as alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Further, few studies have evaluated these biomarkers among pregnant women, in whom the dynamics of these metabolites may differ. Objectives: This study evaluated whether commercial EtG-EtS testing was vulnerable to high levels of environmental exposure to alcohol in pregnant women. Methods: Two separate samples of five nurses—one pregnant and the other postpartum, all of whom reported high levels of alcohol-based hand sanitizer use—provided urine samples before and 4–8 hours after rinsing with alcohol-based mouthwash and using hand sanitizer. The five pregnant nurses provided urine samples before, during, and after an 8-hour nursing shift, during which they repeatedly cleansed with alcohol-based hand sanitizer (mean 33.8 uses). The five postpartum nurses used hand sanitizer repeatedly between baseline and follow-up urine samples. Results: No urine samples were positive for EtG-EtS at baseline or follow-up, despite use of mouthwash and—in the pregnant sample—heavy use of hand sanitizer (mean of 33.8 uses) throughout the 8-hour shift. Conclusions/Importance: Current, commercially available EtG-EtS testing does not appear vulnerable to even heavy exposure to incidental sources of alcohol among pregnant and postpartum women.