THE KINETICS OF METHANOL ELIMINATION IN ALCOHOLICS AND THE INFLUENCE OF ETHANOL

Methanol concentrations were studied during the end phase of ethanol e limination and for about five hours afterwards in 12 alcoholics admitt ed with alcohol intoxication for acute care. The rate of ethanol elimi nation (beta(60)) ranged from 0.114 g/kg/h to 0.270 g/kg/h (mean 0.178 +/-0.045 g/kg/h). The methanol concentration was found to remain almos t steady as long as ethanol levels were relatively high, and changed o nly to an extent that could be explained by the combined opposing infl uences of methanol excretion and endogenous synthesis. There was no si gnificant relationship between the rate of ethanol elimination and the methanol level. The methanol concentration began to decrease when the ethanol concentration had fallen to under 0.2 g/kg. When the ethanol concentration had fallen to base levels, methanol was eliminated at a rate characterized by an elimination constant (k(el)) of 0.212-0.481 h (-1), and a half life of 1.44-3.27 h. There was a positive correlation between the rate of ethanol elimination and the rate of methanol elim ination (r=0.642; p<0.05). (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.