Evaluation of an on‐site test device for the heroin metabolite 6‐acetylmorphine in urine. Issue 3 (6th January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Picht, Fabian; Beck, Olof; Böttcher, Michael
• Is Part Of: Drug testing and analysis. Volume 11:Issue 3(2019)
• Page Start: 536
• Page End: 540
• Publication Date: 2019-01-06
• Subjects: 6‐acetylmorphine -- on‐site test -- urine; Drugs -- Analysis -- Periodicals; Drug testing -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Forensic -- Periodicals; 615.1901
• DOI: 10.1002/dta.2559
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1942-7603

Abstract

Abstract: Detection of heroin use is an important task in clinical drug testing and can be best performed by using 6‐acetylmorphine as the target analyte. This study was performed to evaluate an on‐site test for 6‐acetylmorphine screening in urine with an assigned cut‐off limit at 10 ng/mL. The reference method was a forensic accredited liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method. The study confirmed that negative controls and negative authentic specimen resulted in negative readings. Low cross‐reactivity was recorded from other potential interfering opioids. Prepared standards and commercial calibrators demonstrated that the cutoff level of the test was lower than the assigned value and rather 2 ng/mL. A study using authentic specimens from patients on substitution treatment with methadone, morphine, and buprenorphine confirmed that the real cut‐off level was 2 ng/mL. Using this value as cutoff limit the sensitivity and specificity of the test was 100%. Abstract : The study evaluated an on‐site dipstick test for 6‐acetylmorphine screening in urine with an assigned cut‐off limit at 10 ng/mL. A low cross‐reactivity from other potential interfering opioids was observed. Negative readings were obtained from prepared blank controls and negative authentic urine samples, and positive readings were obtained from prepared standards and positive authentic urine samples. However, the assigned cut‐off level of 10 ng/mL was not confirmed, but a sensitivity of 2 ng/mL was documented.