[The Q.E.D. test--possibility for rapid determination of ethanol levels in saliva].

The present study has been undertaken to compare the Q.E.D. test, a quantitative enzymatic method for the determination of ethanol concentration in the saliva, and quantitative methods for determination of ethanol serum concentrations: UV alcohol dehydrogenase method and gas chromatography. The results of the study demonstrated a statistically significant correlation between the methods compared. We conclude that Q.E.D. test is an effective, rapid and safe method for specific quantitative determination of ethanol levels in the blood defined by ethanol concentrations in the saliva, especially in outpatient departments, initial emergency treatment as well as in differential diagnosis. Sometimes, an increased salivary viscosity caused by dehydration of an acutely drunken man as well as insufficient cooperation of the examinee may, however, aggravate the test performance. We propose the use of a test that measures ethanol concentration in the saliva up to 3.5 g/L in order to avoid repetition of the test.