Urinary Ethanol and Diabetes Mellitus

Ethanol concentrations were assayed in urine samples obtained from 10 newly presenting diabetic patients (aged 50-69 years) with glycosuria and symptoms suggesting genito-urinary candidiasis. No alcohol was detected initially with diabetic urine samples, but when stored at room temperature 8 out of 10 samples showed increasing levels of ethanol from day 3 to day 20. Peak levels were more than 10,000 mg/l in three samples and more than 1500 mg/l in six samples. Studies were also performed using normal urine and urine to which was added glucose and/or Candida. Samples were kept at either room temperature or 4 degrees C for up to 21 days and ethanol assays performed at regular intervals. Studies with non-diabetic urine showed a maximum ethanol level of 500 mg/l after 11 days only in samples containing both glucose and Candida and kept at room temperature.