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Transforming the management of alcohol dependence

Interpreting the data

It is important to interpret the data from the Zenalyser correctly.  The examples below will help you to understand what the results mean.

A graph of a single 10 second breath sample will be presented on the Run page and at the bottom of the Client Data page.

  1. A client taking disulfiram will produce a graph that looks like this:

Screenshot (128)

This is a successful result.

There are lines of 3 colours:

–  the green line shows the level of disulfiram metabolite

–  the red line shows the level of alcohol

– the horizontal orange line is the “therapeutic threshold”

The green (disulfiram) line should be above the orange line (5 ppm)

  • this indicates compliance with disulfiram
  • it takes 2-3 days after starting disulfiram for the green line to get above 5 ppm
  • the green line may go up to 1 -2 ppm without taking disulfiram but this is due to natural products on the breath
The red (alcohol) line should be below the orange line (5 mcg/100mls)
  • any result below 5 mcg/100mls indicates zero alcohol on the breath
  • the red line may go up to 1-2 mcg/100mls without taking alcohol but this is due to natural products on the breath

Each reading from the Zenalyser is automatically plotted consecutively on the graph at the top of the Client Data page:

Screenshot (137)

This pair of graphs shows a typical run of successful Zenalyser readings over three weeks.

The top graph shows cumulative data.

The lower graph shows the last individual 10 second sample, but other individual samples can be viewed simply by Clicking on the sample line in the upper table.

 

2. A client drinking alcohol will produce a graph that looks like this:

Screenshot (132)

This is an unsuccessful result.

Both the green line and the red line have gone above the orange threshold line.

The red line indicates that alcohol has been consumed

  • the alcohol fuel cell cannot detect disulfiram metabolites.

The green line detects both disulfiram metabolites AND alcohol

  • when alcohol has been consumed it is not possible to be sure that the person has been taking disulfiram, but it is possible to be sure that the patient has consumed alcohol!

This result shows that the client is not abstinent from alcohol and therefore requires quick review or intervention.