La Revue de médecine interne
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Some biological data of 63 acute alcoholic poisoning (without drug ingestion) in adults were studied during a brief hospitalization. Mean arterial blood concentration of lactate was 2,34 mmol/l +/- 0,13, of ethanol was 53 +/- 3,68 mmol/l. No correlation was found between these two variables and we have not registered lactic acidosis. ⋯ Only two 18 hours fasting chronic alcoholics showed hypoglycemia. These results confirm that acute ethanol intoxication is a potential respiratory emergency in adults, and not a metabolic one (this last pattern being true for children). No confusion between acute intoxication and alcoholic ketoacidosis, alcohol induced fasting hypoglycemia or shoshin beriberi must be made.