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Urinary ethanol and diabetes mellitus.

W D Alexander1, P D Wills, N Eldred

  • 1Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup, UK.

Diabetic Medicine : a Journal of the British Diabetic Association
|July 1, 1988
PubMed
Summary

Diabetic urine samples can spontaneously produce ethanol when stored at room temperature, potentially mimicking alcohol consumption. This endogenous ethanol production is linked to glycosuria and candidiasis in diabetic patients.

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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Microbiology
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Diabetic patients often present with glycosuria and genito-urinary candidiasis.
  • Endogenous production of substances in biological samples can complicate diagnostic interpretations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential for endogenous ethanol production in urine samples from diabetic patients.
  • To determine the influence of storage conditions and microbial presence on ethanol levels in urine.

Main Methods:

  • Urine samples from 10 diabetic patients with glycosuria and suspected candidiasis were analyzed for ethanol.
  • Samples were stored at room temperature and 4°C for up to 21 days.
  • Controlled experiments using normal urine with added glucose and/or Candida were conducted.

Main Results:

  • Initially, no ethanol was detected in fresh diabetic urine samples.
  • Upon storage at room temperature, 80% of diabetic urine samples showed increasing ethanol levels over 20 days.
  • Peak ethanol concentrations exceeded 10,000 mg/l in three samples and 1500 mg/l in six samples.
  • Non-diabetic urine with glucose and Candida at room temperature produced a maximum of 500 mg/l ethanol after 11 days.

Conclusions:

  • Diabetic urine, particularly when containing glucose and Candida, can generate significant levels of endogenous ethanol upon storage.
  • This phenomenon may lead to misinterpretation of alcohol test results in diabetic individuals.
  • Further investigation into the clinical implications of endogenous ethanol production in diabetes is warranted.

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