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Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine whether breath alcohol elimination rate varies as a function of age, gender, and drinking practice, factorially combined. Eighty-four men and 84 women drank enough alcohol to produce peak BrACs of .110g/210L for heavy and moderate drinkers and BrACs of .090g/210L for light drinkers. An Intoxilyzer 5000 was used to generate the concentration-time profiles. Mean (M) elimination rates (g/210L/h) were found to be higher for women (N=84,M=.0182,SD=.0033) than for men (N=84,M=.0149,SD=.0029),F(1, 144)=57.292,p<.001; higher for heavy drinkers (N=56,M=.0176,SD=.0038) than for light and moderate drinkers combined (N=112,M=.0160,SD=.0032),F(1, 144)=12.434,p<.01; and higher for older subjects (51-69 years,N=42,M=.0180,SD=.0038) than younger subjects (19-50 years,N=126,M=.0161,SD=.0033),F(1, 144)=14.324,p<.001. None of the two-way interactions (agexgender, agexdrinking practice, genderxdrinking practice) or the three-way interaction (agexgenderxdrinking practice) was statistically significant. Limitations of the current study and suggestions for further research are discussed.