Ethanol elimination rates in men and women in consideration of the calculated liver weight.

The purpose of the study was to examine gender differences on the pharmacokinetics of ethanol. Sixty-eight healthy men and 64 healthy women with normal body mass indexes received between 0.79 and 0.95 g ethanol/kg body weight in the form of their choice after they had eaten a "typical" breakfast. The aimed concentration for both genders was a blood alcohol concentration C(0) of 0.104 g/dl. Blood samples in the elimination phase were taken in 10- to 20-min intervals beginning after completion of absorption. The maximum blood ethanol concentration was 0.0819+/-0.0184 g/dl for women and 0.0841+/-0.0155 g/dl for men. The hourly ethanol elimination rate, calculated over a linear function, in blood of 0.0179+/-0.0030 g/dl/h in women was significantly higher than the 0.0159+/-0.0029 g/dl/h for men (P<.0001). In relation to the liver weight, the hourly elimination rates were 5.008+/-0.678 g/kg liver/h for women and 4.854+/-0.659 g/kg liver/h for men, and were not statistically significant. The different liver masses as calculated in relation to the distribution volume account for the differing ethanol elimination rates between men and women.