Ethyl glucuronide determination: head hair versus non-head hair.

Introduction: In previous studies, hair analysis of ethyl glucuronide (EtG), a non-volatile, water-soluble, direct metabolite of ethanol, was shown to be adequate for the detection of social and chronic excessive alcohol consumption. As in some cases scalp hair is not available, the analysis of hair from alternative anatomical sites becomes of interest.

Aims: In this study, hair samples from head, beard, chest, armpit, stomach, pubis, arms and legs from 32 subjects were analyzed when available, in order to compare the EtG concentrations and to study if the cut-offs used for head hair could be used for non-head hair.