Peter D. Maskell PhD, Jane A. Officer MS, Carolyn Lowrie PGDip, Fiona M. Wylie PhD
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Alcohol calculations are carried out in many forensic case types. On occasion, individuals under the age of 18 are involved, and alcohol calculations may be beneficial. To date, there are no studies that have determined the best way to estimate total body water (TBW) or alcohol elimination rates in juveniles for alcohol calculations. We utilized a data set of 207 females and 218 males, aged 3–18 years, from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, where TBW had been empirically measured, to evaluate the best anthropometric equation to use to estimate TBW in juveniles. For males aged 3–15 years and females aged 2–13 years, the equation of Wells et al. was the most accurate and precise (RMSE of ≤10.4% in males and ≤9.9% in females). For males aged 16+ years and females aged 14+ years, the equation of Watson et al. was more appropriate (RMSE ≤11.5% and ≤12.4%, respectively). Based on published studies where the alcohol elimination rate was determined in 43 juveniles (aged 10-17 years) who were hospitalized due to alcohol consumption, a mean alcohol elimination rate of 16 mg/100 mL/h should be used. The recommended range being 9–25 mg/100 mL (5th–95th percentile). This study provides evidence that there are valid anthropometric equations to determine TBW and alcohol elimination rates that can be used for alcohol calculations in juveniles between the ages of 10 and 17.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Forensic Sciences (JFS) is the official publication of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS). It is devoted to the publication of original investigations, observations, scholarly inquiries and reviews in various branches of the forensic sciences. These include anthropology, criminalistics, digital and multimedia sciences, engineering and applied sciences, pathology/biology, psychiatry and behavioral science, jurisprudence, odontology, questioned documents, and toxicology. Similar submissions dealing with forensic aspects of other sciences and the social sciences are also accepted, as are submissions dealing with scientifically sound emerging science disciplines. The content and/or views expressed in the JFS are not necessarily those of the AAFS, the JFS Editorial Board, the organizations with which authors are affiliated, or the publisher of JFS. All manuscript submissions are double-blind peer-reviewed.