Do dried blood spots have the potential to support result management processes in routine sports drug testing?—Part 2: Proactive sampling for follow‐up investigations concerning atypical or adverse analytical findings. Issue 3 (11th February 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Thevis, Mario; Kuuranne, Tiia; Thomas, Andreas; Geyer, Hans
• Is Part Of: Drug testing and analysis. Volume 13:Issue 3(2021)
• Page Start: 505
• Page End: 509
• Publication Date: 2021-02-11
• Subjects: adverse analytical finding -- atypical finding -- doping -- dried blood spot -- sport; Drugs -- Analysis -- Periodicals; Drug testing -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Forensic -- Periodicals; 615.1901
• DOI: 10.1002/dta.3011
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1942-7603

Abstract

Abstract: Capillary blood sampled as dried blood spot (DBS) has shown substantial potential as test matrix in sports drug testing in various different settings, enabling the analysis of numerous different drugs and/or their respective metabolites. In addition to established beneficial aspects of DBS specimens in general (such as the minimally invasive and non‐intrusive nature, and simplified sample transport), a yet unexplored advantage of DBS in the anti‐doping context could be the opportunity of preserving a source of information complementary to routine doping controls performed in urine or venous blood. Whenever follow‐up investigations are warranted or required, frequently collected and stored (but yet not analyzed) DBS samples could be target‐tested for the compound(s) in question, in order to contribute to results management and decision‐making processes. Abstract : DBS, collected complementarily and proactively at high(er) frequency in addition to routine doping controls might represent a valuable source of information for follow‐up investigations in case of atypical or adverse analytical findings and, at the same time, provide an additional tool to deter athletes from doping.