1
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Jones AW. Brief history of the alcohol biomarkers CDT, EtG, EtS, 5-HTOL, and PEth. Drug Test Anal 2024; 16:570-587. [PMID: 37806783 DOI: 10.1002/dta.3584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
This article traces the historical development of various biomarkers of acute and/or chronic alcohol consumption. Much of the research in this domain of clinical and laboratory medicine arose from clinics and laboratories in Sweden, as exemplified by carbohydrate deficient transferrin (CDT) and phosphatidylethanol (PEth). Extensive studies of other alcohol biomarkers, such as ethyl glucuronide (EtG), ethyl sulfate (EtS), and 5-hydroxytryptophol (5-HTOL), also derive from Sweden. The most obvious test of recent drinking is identification of ethanol in a sample of the person's blood, breath, or urine. However, because of continuous metabolism in the liver, ethanol is eliminated from the blood at a rate of 0.15 g/L/h (range 0.1-0.3 g/L/h), so obtaining positive results is not always possible. The widow of detection is increased by analysis of ethanol's non-oxidative metabolites (EtG and EtS), which are more slowly eliminated from the bloodstream. Likewise, an elevated ratio of serotonin metabolites in urine (5-HTOL/5-HIAA) can help to disclose recent drinking after ethanol is no longer measurable in body fluids. A highly specific biomarker of hazardous drinking is CDT, a serum glycoprotein (transferrin), with a deficiency in its N-linked glycosylation. Another widely acclaimed biomarker is PEth, an abnormal phospholipid synthesized in cell membranes when people drink excessively, having a long elimination half-life (median ~6 days) during abstinence. Research on the subject of alcohol biomarkers has increased appreciably and is now an important area of drug testing and analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Wayne Jones
- Division of Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Linköping, Linköping, Sweden
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2
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Tegner M, Ott IR, Guterres FDS, de Barros VM, Linden R, Antunes MV. Determination of Ethyl Glucuronide and Ethyl Sulfate in Dried Blood Spots by UHPLC-MS-MS: Method Validation and Assessment of Ethanol Exposure in Postmortem Samples from Road Traffic Victims. J Anal Toxicol 2023; 46:e223-e231. [PMID: 36087096 DOI: 10.1093/jat/bkac074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The determination of ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS) in blood has been proposed in clinical and forensic applications to identify recent alcohol consumption. Also, there is a growing interest on the use of dried blood spots (DBS) in toxicological analysis, allowing increased stability of the analytes and simplifying sample transportation and storage. This study presents the development and validation of a method for quantifying EtG and EtS in DBS using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS-MS). The DBS samples were extracted with a mixture of methanol and acetonitrile (80:20 v/v) and analyzed using UHPLC-MS-MS with electrospray source in negative mode, after separation with a fluoro-phenyl stationary phase. Validation was performed according to the Scientific Working Group for Forensic Toxicology (SWGTOX) guidelines, with calibrations ranging from 0.10 to 18 µg/mL for EtG and 0.02 to 6 µg/mL for EtS. The analytes were stable in DBS stored from -20 to 45°C for 21 days. The method was successfully applied to capillary and venous DBS samples from 20 volunteers after ethanol ingestion and to DBS samples from 99 fatal victims of road traffic injuries. Capillary DBS was comparable to venous DBS and fresh whole blood in Passing-Bablok and Bland-Altman analysis, with correlation coefficients >0.91 (P < 0.001) for all comparisons. In postmortem application, the DBS EtG and EtS analysis indicated positive exposure to ethanol in 72.7% of the cases (EtG: 0.10-24.0 µg/mL and EtS: 0.03-4.11 µg/mL). The identification of ethanol consumption from blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) and EtG/EtS in DBS was in agreement in 98.6% of positive and 96.3% of negative cases (kappa 0.877, P < 0.001), indicating a high level of concordance with BAC in assessing alcohol use in postmortem samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariane Tegner
- Postgraduate Program on Toxicology and Analytical Toxicology, Feevale University, ERS-239, 2755, Novo Hamburgo, RS 93525-075, Brazil.,Laboratory of Analytical Toxicology, Institute of Health Sciences, Feevale University, ERS-239, 2755, Novo Hamburgo, RS 93525-075, Brazil
| | - Isabela Ritter Ott
- Postgraduate Program on Toxicology and Analytical Toxicology, Feevale University, ERS-239, 2755, Novo Hamburgo, RS 93525-075, Brazil.,Laboratory of Analytical Toxicology, Institute of Health Sciences, Feevale University, ERS-239, 2755, Novo Hamburgo, RS 93525-075, Brazil
| | - Fernanda de Souza Guterres
- Laboratory of Analytical Toxicology, Institute of Health Sciences, Feevale University, ERS-239, 2755, Novo Hamburgo, RS 93525-075, Brazil
| | - Vinicius Monteagudo de Barros
- Laboratory of Analytical Toxicology, Institute of Health Sciences, Feevale University, ERS-239, 2755, Novo Hamburgo, RS 93525-075, Brazil
| | - Rafael Linden
- Postgraduate Program on Toxicology and Analytical Toxicology, Feevale University, ERS-239, 2755, Novo Hamburgo, RS 93525-075, Brazil.,Laboratory of Analytical Toxicology, Institute of Health Sciences, Feevale University, ERS-239, 2755, Novo Hamburgo, RS 93525-075, Brazil
| | - Marina Venzon Antunes
- Postgraduate Program on Toxicology and Analytical Toxicology, Feevale University, ERS-239, 2755, Novo Hamburgo, RS 93525-075, Brazil.,Laboratory of Analytical Toxicology, Institute of Health Sciences, Feevale University, ERS-239, 2755, Novo Hamburgo, RS 93525-075, Brazil
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DiBattista A, Ogrel S, MacKenzie AE, Chakraborty P. Quantitation of phosphatidylethanols in dried blood spots to determine rates of prenatal alcohol exposure in Ontario. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2021; 46:243-251. [PMID: 34939205 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Estimating rates of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) in a population is necessary to ensure that proper medical and social supports and interventions are in place. This study sought to estimate PAE in Ontario, Canada by quantifying phosphatidylethanol (PEth) homologues in over 2000 residual neonatal dried blood spots (DBS). METHODS A random selection of 2011 residual DBS collected over a 1-week time period were anonymized and extracted. A targeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method was used to quantify 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanol (PEth (16:0/18:1) or POPEth), the clinically accepted biomarker, and six additional PEth homologues. A POPEth level above the United States Drug Testing Laboratories (USDTL) cutoff up to 4 weeks predelivery was indicative of PAE. All PEth homologues were correlated to one another and logistic regression was used to determine the association between PAE status and infant characteristics. RESULTS The estimated rate of PAE in Ontario, up to the last 4 weeks of gestation, was 15.5% (POPEth >28.5 nM). Most PEth homologues were moderately to strongly correlated to one another. A low birth weight and preterm birth were both associated with PAE, while being small for gestational age had lower odds of PAE. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study suggest that PAE may be more prevalent in Ontario than previous estimates by self-report or meconium testing. These findings support the need to consider the effectiveness of current interventions and the design of new interventions to address this significant public health issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia DiBattista
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Svetlana Ogrel
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alex E MacKenzie
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pranesh Chakraborty
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Neumann J, Beck O, Helander A, Dahmen N, Böttcher M. Sensitive determination of ethyl glucuronide in serum and whole blood: detection time after alcohol exposure compared with urine. J LAB MED 2020. [DOI: 10.1515/labmed-2019-0203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Objectives
Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) is a conjugated, minor ethanol metabolite used as a biomarker for recent alcohol intake. EtG is commonly measured in urine as part of a drug testing service but has also attracted attention for measurement in blood. However, due to lower EtG concentrations in blood, the detection time is expected to be shorter. The present work aimed to improve the analytical sensitivity of EtG in blood, to prolong the detection time.
Methods
A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for EtG in whole blood and serum, using protein precipitation with methanol, a deuterated internal standard, and selected reaction monitoring mode with negative electrospray ionization. No significant matrix effect was observed. The method generated linear results in the measuring range 1.0–50 μg/L, the accuracy was within ±10% and the imprecision <15%.
Results
In 46 patients followed with daily blood and urine sampling during alcohol detoxification, the mean (median) time to first negative serum EtG sample was 112 (111) h. This was slightly longer than for EtG in urine, using 100 μg/L as cutoff. The detection rate was 76% for serum EtG and 68% for urine EtG. In cases where serum EtG was positive but urine EtG negative, the urine samples tended to be more dilute as indicated by lower creatinine concentrations. On admission to hospital, the whole-blood and serum EtG concentrations correlated with the breath ethanol concentration (p = 0.012 and p = 0.027, respectively). In 100 patients sampled at admission to hospital for other reasons than substance abuse and with no ethanol detected in breath, 40% tested positive for EtG in serum and 43% in urine. In 79 paired urine and serum EtG measurements, the median urine/serum concentration ratio was 155.
Conclusions
A sensitive method was developed for EtG measurement in whole-blood and serum specimens, offering similar detection time for recent alcohol exposure compared with routine EtG measurement in urine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasna Neumann
- Department of Toxicology, MVZ Labor Dessau GmbH , Dessau-Rosslau , Germany
| | - Olof Beck
- Department of Toxicology, MVZ Labor Dessau GmbH , Dessau-Rosslau , Germany
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Anders Helander
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology , Karolinska University Hospital , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Norbert Dahmen
- Universitätsklinikum Mainz, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie , Mainz , Germany
| | - Michael Böttcher
- Department of Toxicology, MVZ Labor Dessau GmbH , Dessau-Rosslau , Germany
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5
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Kacargil CU, Daglioglu N, Goren IE. Determination of Illicit Drugs in Dried Blood Spots by LC–MS/MS Method: Validation and Application to Real Samples. Chromatographia 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10337-020-03907-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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6
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Wang H, Zhang Y, Zhang X, Li J, Lin Z, Huang Z, Chang J, Zhang Y, Wang J, Zhang C, Rao Y. An LC-MS/MS method for comparing the stability of ethanol's non-oxidative metabolites in dried blood spots during 90 days. Alcohol 2020; 83:29-35. [PMID: 31175945 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2019.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Revised: 05/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Problems of stability were found for biomarkers of alcohol consumption: ethyl glucuronide (EtG), ethyl sulfate (EtS), phosphatidylethanols (PEths), and fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) in whole blood. The purpose of this study was to establish a method for the determination of these four kinds of ethanol's non-oxidative metabolites in dried blood spots (DBS) by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and to evaluate their stability. In this method, 50 μL of human blood was spotted onto a filter paper for DBS analysis. Samples were extracted by methanol, reconstituted by 2-propanol, and injected into the LC-MS/MS system. Limits of detection were among 0.5-50 ng/mL, and deviations in accuracy and precision were all lower than 15% at three quality control levels. The stability of the four kinds of ethanol non-oxidative metabolites in DBS was investigated during a 90-day range under three temperatures, -20 °C, 4 °C, and 25 °C. EtG and EtS showed a high level of stability in DBS in the 90-day range, regardless of the temperature. FAEEs were unstable after three days. PEths showed stability within 15 days in postmortem DBS and 60 days in antemortem DBS, respectively, at all temperatures.
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Ambach L, Menzies E, Parkin MC, Kicman A, Archer JR, Wood DM, Dargan PI, Stove C. Quantification of cocaine and cocaine metabolites in dried blood spots from a controlled administration study using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Drug Test Anal 2018; 11:709-720. [DOI: 10.1002/dta.2537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Revised: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Lars Ambach
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Bioanalysis, Laboratory of ToxicologyGhent University Ottergemsesteenweg 460 9000 Ghent Belgium
| | - Eleanor Menzies
- School of Population Health & Environmental Sciences Drug Control CentreKing's College London London UK
| | - Mark C. Parkin
- School of Population Health & Environmental Sciences Drug Control CentreKing's College London London UK
| | - Andrew Kicman
- School of Population Health & Environmental Sciences Drug Control CentreKing's College London London UK
| | - John R.H. Archer
- Clinical ToxicologyGuy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust London UK
- Faculty of Life Sciences and MedicineKing's College London London UK
| | - David M. Wood
- Clinical ToxicologyGuy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust London UK
- Faculty of Life Sciences and MedicineKing's College London London UK
| | - Paul I. Dargan
- Clinical ToxicologyGuy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust London UK
| | - Christophe Stove
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Bioanalysis, Laboratory of ToxicologyGhent University Ottergemsesteenweg 460 9000 Ghent Belgium
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8
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Determination of Cocaine and Metabolites in Dried Blood Spots by LC-MS/MS. Methods Mol Biol 2018. [PMID: 30350296 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8823-5_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
Cocaine is one of the most common illegal drugs in Europe and other parts of the world. It is mainly metabolized to benzoylecgonine and ecgonine methyl ester but also to minor metabolites such as norcocaine and meta-hydroxy-benzoylecgonine. If ethanol is consumed simultaneously, cocaethylene is formed. Dried blood spots (DBS) are a minimally invasive sampling technique producing easy-to-ship specimens and have garnered increasing attention in forensic and clinical contexts in recent years. We hereby present a liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry-based (LC-MS/MS) method for the quantification of cocaine, benzoylecgonine, ecgonine methyl ester, norcocaine, meta-hydroxy-benzoylecgonine, and cocaethylene in DBS.
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9
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Introduction of sample tubes with sodium azide as a preservative for ethyl glucuronide in urine. Int J Legal Med 2017; 131:1283-1289. [DOI: 10.1007/s00414-017-1633-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2016] [Accepted: 07/04/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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10
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N-Acetyltaurine as a novel urinary ethanol marker in a drinking study. Anal Bioanal Chem 2016; 408:7529-36. [DOI: 10.1007/s00216-016-9855-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2016] [Revised: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 08/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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11
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Bertaso A, Sorio D, Vandoros A, De Palo EF, Bortolotti F, Tagliaro F. Use of finger-prick dried blood spots (fpDBS) and capillary electrophoresis for carbohydrate deficient transferrin (CDT) screening in forensic toxicology. Electrophoresis 2016; 37:2867-2874. [DOI: 10.1002/elps.201500588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2015] [Revised: 03/17/2016] [Accepted: 04/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Bertaso
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Unit of Forensic Medicine; University of Verona; Verona Italy
| | - Daniela Sorio
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Unit of Forensic Medicine; University of Verona; Verona Italy
| | - Anthula Vandoros
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Unit of Forensic Medicine; University of Verona; Verona Italy
- Department of Forensic Science; University of New Haven; West Haven CT USA
| | - Elio F. De Palo
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Unit of Forensic Medicine; University of Verona; Verona Italy
| | - Federica Bortolotti
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Unit of Forensic Medicine; University of Verona; Verona Italy
| | - Franco Tagliaro
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Unit of Forensic Medicine; University of Verona; Verona Italy
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12
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Alternative sampling strategies for the assessment of alcohol intake of living persons. Clin Biochem 2016; 49:1078-91. [PMID: 27208822 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2016.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2016] [Revised: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 05/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring of alcohol consumption by living persons takes place in various contexts, amongst which workplace drug testing, driving under the influence of alcohol, driving licence regranting programs, alcohol withdrawal treatment, diagnosis of acute intoxication or fetal alcohol ingestion. The matrices that are mostly used today include blood, breath and urine. The aim of this review is to present alternative sampling strategies that allow monitoring of the alcohol consumption in living subjects. Ethanol itself, indirect (carbohydrate deficient transferrin, CDT%) as well as direct biomarkers (ethyl glucuronide, EtG; ethyl sulphate, EtS; fatty acid ethyl esters, FAEEs and phosphatidylethanol species, PEths) of ethanol consumption will be considered. This review covers dried blood spots (CDT%, EtG/EtS, PEths), dried urine spots (EtG/EtS), sweat and skin surface lipids (ethanol, EtG, FAEEs), oral fluid (ethanol, EtG), exhaled breath (PEths), hair (EtG, FAEEs), nail (EtG), meconium (EtG/EtS, FAEEs), umbilical cord and placenta (EtG/EtS and PEth 16:0/18:1). Main results, issues and considerations specific to each matrix are reported. Details about sample preparation and analytical methods are not within the scope of this review.
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13
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Bioanalytical procedures and developments in the determination of alcohol biomarkers in biological specimens. Bioanalysis 2016; 8:229-51. [DOI: 10.4155/bio.15.240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Excessive alcohol consumption is a global problem, and consequently its evaluation is of great clinical and forensic interest. Alcohol biomarkers have been the focus of several research works in the past decades, with new compounds being studied in more recent years. The main objective of this review is to discuss topics for an analyst to consider when evaluating alcohol consumption through the analysis of alcohol biomarkers in biological specimens. For this, existing alcohol biomarkers will be reviewed, including carbohydrate-deficient transferrin, 5-hydroxytryptophol, ethanol, hemoglobin-associated acetaldehyde, fatty acid ethyl esters, ethyl glucuronide, ethyl sulfate and phosphatidylethanol. Additionally, their potential will be discussed, as well as analytical considerations, main challenges, limitations, data interpretation and existing methodologies for their determination in biological specimens.
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14
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Kummer N, Ingels AS, Wille SMR, Hanak C, Verbanck P, Lambert WEE, Samyn N, Stove CP. Quantification of phosphatidylethanol 16:0/18:1, 18:1/18:1, and 16:0/16:0 in venous blood and venous and capillary dried blood spots from patients in alcohol withdrawal and control volunteers. Anal Bioanal Chem 2015; 408:825-38. [PMID: 26597914 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-015-9169-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2015] [Revised: 10/28/2015] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Phosphatidylethanol species (PEths) are promising biomarkers of alcohol consumption. Here, we report on the set-up, validation, and application of a novel UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS method for the quantification of PEth 16:0/18:1, PEth 18:1/18:1, and PEth 16:0/16:0 in whole blood (30 μL) and in venous (V, 30 μL) or capillary (C, 3 punches (3 mm)) dried blood spots (DBS). The methods were linear from 10 (LLOQ) to 2000 ng/mL for PEth 16:0/18:1, from 10 (LLOQ) to 1940 ng/mL for PEth 18:1/18:1, and from 19 (LLOQ) to 3872 ng/mL for PEth 16:0/16:0. Extraction efficiencies were higher than 55% (RSD < 18%) and matrix effects compensated for by IS were between 77 and 125% (RSD < 10%). Accuracy, repeatability, and intermediate precision fulfilled acceptance criteria (bias and RSD below 13%). Validity of the procedure for determination of PEth 16:0/18:1 in blood was demonstrated by the successful participation in a proficiency test. The quantification of PEths in C-DBS was not significantly influenced by the hematocrit, punch localization, or spot volume. The stability of PEths in V-DBS stored at room temperature was demonstrated up to 6 months. The method was applied to authentic samples (whole blood, V-DBS, and C-DBS) from 50 inpatients in alcohol withdrawal and 50 control volunteers. Applying a cut-off value to detect inpatients at 221 ng/mL for PEth 16:0/18:1 provided no false positive results and a good sensitivity (86%). Comparison of quantitative results (Bland-Altman plot, Passing-Bablok regression, and Wilcoxon signed rank test) revealed that V-DBS and C-DBS were valid alternatives to venous blood for the detection of alcohol consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Kummer
- Federal Public Service Justice, National Institute of Criminalistics and Criminology, Chaussée de Vilvorde 100, 1120, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ann-Sofie Ingels
- Federal Public Service Justice, National Institute of Criminalistics and Criminology, Chaussée de Vilvorde 100, 1120, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sarah M R Wille
- Federal Public Service Justice, National Institute of Criminalistics and Criminology, Chaussée de Vilvorde 100, 1120, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Catherine Hanak
- Laboratory of Psychological Medicine and Addictology, ULB Neuroscience Institute (UNI), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Route de Lennik 800, 1070, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Paul Verbanck
- Laboratory of Psychological Medicine and Addictology, ULB Neuroscience Institute (UNI), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Route de Lennik 800, 1070, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Willy E E Lambert
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nele Samyn
- Federal Public Service Justice, National Institute of Criminalistics and Criminology, Chaussée de Vilvorde 100, 1120, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Christophe P Stove
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
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15
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Wurst FM, Thon N, Yegles M, Schrück A, Preuss UW, Weinmann W. Ethanol Metabolites: Their Role in the Assessment of Alcohol Intake. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2015; 39:2060-72. [DOI: 10.1111/acer.12851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2015] [Accepted: 07/22/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Friedrich M. Wurst
- Paracelsus Medical University; Salzburg Austria
- Center for Interdisciplinary Addiction Research; University of Hamburg; Hamburg Germany
| | | | - Michel Yegles
- Service de Toxicologie; Laboratoire National de Sante; Luxembourg Luxembourg
| | - Alexandra Schrück
- Institute of Forensic Medicine; University of Bern; Bern Switzerland
| | - Ulrich W. Preuss
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine; University of Halle; Halle Germany
| | - Wolfgang Weinmann
- Institute of Forensic Medicine; University of Bern; Bern Switzerland
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16
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Nanau RM, Neuman MG. Biomolecules and Biomarkers Used in Diagnosis of Alcohol Drinking and in Monitoring Therapeutic Interventions. Biomolecules 2015; 5:1339-85. [PMID: 26131978 PMCID: PMC4598755 DOI: 10.3390/biom5031339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2015] [Revised: 05/15/2015] [Accepted: 05/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The quantitative, measurable detection of drinking is important for the successful treatment of alcohol misuse in transplantation of patients with alcohol disorders, people living with human immunodeficiency virus that need to adhere to medication, and special occupational hazard offenders, many of whom continually deny drinking. Their initial misconduct usually leads to medical problems associated with drinking, impulsive social behavior, and drunk driving. The accurate identification of alcohol consumption via biochemical tests contributes significantly to the monitoring of drinking behavior. METHODS A systematic review of the current methods used to measure biomarkers of alcohol consumption was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar databases (2010-2015). The names of the tests have been identified. The methods and publications that correlate between the social instruments and the biochemical tests were further investigated. There is a clear need for assays standardization to ensure the use of these biochemical tests as routine biomarkers. FINDINGS Alcohol ingestion can be measured using a breath test. Because alcohol is rapidly eliminated from the circulation, the time for detection by this analysis is in the range of hours. Alcohol consumption can alternatively be detected by direct measurement of ethanol concentration in blood or urine. Several markers have been proposed to extend the interval and sensitivities of detection, including ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate in urine, phosphatidylethanol in blood, and ethyl glucuronide and fatty acid ethyl esters in hair, among others. Moreover, there is a need to correlate the indirect biomarker carbohydrate deficient transferrin, which reflects longer lasting consumption of higher amounts of alcohol, with serum γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, another long term indirect biomarker that is routinely used and standardized in laboratory medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radu M Nanau
- In Vitro Drug Safety and Biotechnology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 0A3, Canada.
| | - Manuela G Neuman
- In Vitro Drug Safety and Biotechnology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 0A3, Canada.
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 0A3, Canada.
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Spot them in the spot: analysis of abused substances using dried blood spots. Bioanalysis 2014; 6:2211-27. [DOI: 10.4155/bio.14.156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Dried blood spot (DBS) sampling and DBS analysis have increasingly received attention during recent years. Furthermore, a substantial number of DBS methods has recently become available in clinical, forensic and occupational toxicology. In this review, we provide an overview of the different DBS-based methods that have been developed for detecting (markers of) abused substances. These include both legal and illegal drugs belonging to different categories, including cannabinoids, cocaine and metabolites, opioids, benzodiazepines and Z-drugs, amphetamines and analogs, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, ketamine and novel psychoactive substances such as cathinones. Markers of ethanol consumption and tobacco use are also covered in this review. Since the majority of published methods has shown promising results overall, an interesting role for DBS analysis in diverse toxicological applications can be envisaged. For the distinct applications, we discuss the specific potential and benefits of DBS, the associated limitations and challenges, as well as recent developments and future perspectives.
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Sharma A, Jaiswal S, Shukla M, Lal J. Dried blood spots: Concepts, present status, and future perspectives in bioanalysis. Drug Test Anal 2014; 6:399-414. [DOI: 10.1002/dta.1646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2014] [Revised: 02/22/2014] [Accepted: 02/24/2014] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Abhisheak Sharma
- Pharmacokinetics & Metabolism Division; CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute; Lucknow 226031 India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research; New Delhi India
| | - Swati Jaiswal
- Pharmacokinetics & Metabolism Division; CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute; Lucknow 226031 India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research; New Delhi India
| | - Mahendra Shukla
- Pharmacokinetics & Metabolism Division; CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute; Lucknow 226031 India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research; New Delhi India
| | - Jawahar Lal
- Pharmacokinetics & Metabolism Division; CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute; Lucknow 226031 India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research; New Delhi India
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Abstract
Alcohol misuse is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Although clinical history, examination, and the use of self-report questionnaires may identify subjects with harmful patterns of alcohol use, denial or under-reporting of alcohol intake is common. Existing biomarkers for detecting alcohol misuse include measurement of blood or urine ethanol for acute alcohol consumption, and carbohydrate-deficient transferrin and gamma-glutamyl transferase for chronic alcohol misuse. There is a need for a biomarker that can detect excessive alcohol consumption in the timeframe between 1 day and several weeks. Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) is a direct metabolite of ethanol detectable in urine for up to 90 h and longer in hair. Because EtG has high specificity for excess alcohol intake, it has great potential for use in detecting "binge" drinking. Using urine or hair, this noninvasive marker has a role in a variety of clinical and forensic settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie E Walsham
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University Hospital Lewisham, London, United Kingdom
| | - Roy A Sherwood
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.
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Ambach L, Hernández Redondo A, König S, Weinmann W. Rapid and simple LC-MS/MS screening of 64 novel psychoactive substances using dried blood spots. Drug Test Anal 2013; 6:367-75. [PMID: 23868723 DOI: 10.1002/dta.1505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2013] [Revised: 05/31/2013] [Accepted: 06/01/2013] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The range of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) including phenethylamines, cathinones, piperazines, tryptamines, etc. is continuously growing. Therefore, fast and reliable screening methods for these compounds are essential and needed. The use of dried blood spots (DBS) for a fast straightforward approach helps to simplify and shorten sample preparation significantly. DBS were produced from 10 µl of whole blood and extracted offline with 500 µl methanol followed by evaporation and reconstitution in mobile phase. Reversed-phase chromatographic separation and mass spectrometric detection (RP-LC-MS/MS) was achieved within a run time of 10 min. The screening method was validated by evaluating the following parameters: limit of detection (LOD), matrix effect, selectivity and specificity, extraction efficiency, and short-term and long-term stability. Furthermore, the method was applied to authentic samples and results were compared with those obtained with a validated whole blood method used for routine analysis of NPS. LOD was between 1 and 10 ng/ml. No interference from matrix compounds was observed. The method was proven to be specific and selective for the analytes, although with limitations for 3-FMC/flephedrone and MDDMA/MDEA. Mean extraction efficiency was 84.6 %. All substances were stable in DBS for at least a week when cooled. Cooling was essential for the stability of cathinones. Prepared samples were stable for at least 3 days. Comparison to the validated whole blood method yielded similar results. DBS were shown to be useful in developing a rapid screening method for NPS with simplified sample preparation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Ambach
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bühlstrasse 20, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland
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