1. The magnitude of the variability of ethanol absorption is an important factor for studies that seek to determine the significance of potential interactions between ethanol and drugs. The aim of this study was to determine the extent of inter‐ and intra‐individual variability of ethanol concentration‐time profiles in fasted and fed subjects. 2. Twenty‐four healthy male subjects were randomized to receive ethanol 0.3 g kg‐1 before an evening meal on two study days and ethanol 0.3 g kg‐1 after an evening meal on two study days. Plasma ethanol concentrations were measured at intervals from 0‐240 min. 3. There were significant differences in the mean area under the ethanol concentration‐time curve (AUC), the mean peak ethanol concentration (Cmax), the mean ethanol elimination slope and the time to peak ethanol concentration between the fed and fasted subjects. There were no significant differences between the first and second study days for either fed or fasting subjects for all parameters. 4. There was no statistically significant difference in inter‐ or intra‐subject variance between fed and fasted studies although the coefficients of variation (standard deviation expressed as a percentage of the mean) for the differences between the first and second study day were higher for fed studies. 5. The large inter‐ and intra‐individual variability of alcohol absorption for both fasted and fed subjects must be considered in the design of alcohol‐drug interaction studies.

fortification would have to be introduced since it is difficult to obtain 1500 mg/d of calcium from the diet.4Even though some of the variables examined in our study were statistically associated with calcium intake, the absolute differences in calcium intake between subcategories of the variables were small. Thus none of the variables analysed in our study can be used for targeting health information on an increase in calcium intake in subgroups of the population. *

The association between H. pylori or C. pneumoniae seropositivity and coronary heart disease was significant but may not indicate a causal association.

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A 43-year-old Polynesian presented with fever, abnormal liver function tests, bilateral pulmonary infiltrates, and a progressive neutropenia and thrombocytopenia. Bone marrow examination showed extensive and striking hemophagocytosis which raised the diagnosis of malignant histiocytosis. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was subsequently cultured from both urine and bone marrow. Hemophagocytosis is now a recognised association of several infections and we draw attention to this finding, particularly as the confident exclusion of malignancy can be very difficult and management is obviously very different.