Predictors of Breath Alcohol Profiles: A Multiple-Study Lab-Based Approach

Oral alcohol administration studies often show a range of breath alcohol content (BrAC) following alcohol ingestion, though examination of BrAC trajectories as distinct profiles has yet to be explored as well as potential predictors of these profiles.

Across two laboratory studies of oral alcohol administration with target blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) of 0.08% (N = 89) and 0.10% (N = 92) of emerging adults (M_age = 23.03) with a history of binge drinking, BrAC was captured every 15 min for seven intervals. Repeated measure latent profile analysis (RMLPA) was used to determine latent profiles of BrAC based on Akaike information criterion (AIC), Bayesian information criterion (BIC), and the bootstrapped likelihood ratio test (BLRT) for each study. Individual characteristics and prior alcohol use history were then examined as predictors of latent profile membership for the 0.10% BrAC study.

A three-profile solution was replicated across the 0.08% and 0.10% BAC emerging adult samples, consisting of (1) high-fast risers (10%-16%) where individuals reach higher than anticipated BrAC and maintain high levels across the study period, (2) moderate risers (35%-42%) who reach target BrAC levels and show expected rise and fall in BrAC, and (3) low-slow risers (46%-47%) who remain under target BrAC and show consistent low levels of BrAC across the study period. Body mass index, total body water, and response to alcohol assisted in predicting individual membership in the 0.10% BrAC study and can aid in differentiating profiles.

BrAC profiles for emerging adult samples may follow a three-profile structure during lab-based oral alcohol administration. One's physical characteristics and response to alcohol may play a key role in differentiating BAC profiles and should be examined in the lab and natural environment.