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Comparison of meconium and neonatal hair analysis for detection of gestational exposure to drugs of abuse

 
Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2003 March; 88(2): F98–F100.
doi: 10.1136/fn.88.2.F98.
PMCID: PMC1721515
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Comparison of meconium and neonatal hair analysis for detection of gestational exposure to drugs of abuse
B Bar-Oz, J Klein, T Karaskov, and G Koren
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Abstract
Background: Meconium and hair are two biological markers of in utero exposure to illicit drugs.
Objective: To compare the sensitivity of the two tests for different drugs.
Setting: Motherisk laboratory which tests in utero drug exposure in Toronto.
Methods: Cocaine, benzoylecgonine, opiates, cannabis, benzodiazepines, methadone, and barbiturates were measured in pairs of hair and meconium samples from the same neonates.
Results: Meconium was marginally more sensitive than neonatal hair for detection of cocaine and cannabis, possibly because it may detect second trimester exposure whereas hair grows only during the third trimester of pregnancy. There was a significant correlation between hair and meconium concentrations of cocaine, cannabis, and opiates.
Conclusion: In cases of clinical suspicion and a negative neonatal urine test, both meconium and hair are effective biological markers of in utero illicit drug exposure. Meconium may be more sensitive, but neonatal hair is available for three months whereas meconium is available for only one or two days. In contrast, the use of meconium, being a discarded material, is more acceptable to some parents than hair testing, which entails cutting scalp hair from the newborn.
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Selected References
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Articles from Archives of Disease in Childhood. Fetal and Neonatal Edition are provided here courtesy of
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Excretion of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol in sweat

  • Marilyn A. Huestis

      Affiliations

    • Chemistry and Drug Metabolism, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 5500 Nathan Shock Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
    • Corresponding author. Fax: +1 410 550 2468.
    email address
    • ,
  • Karl B. Scheidweiler

      Affiliations

    • Chemistry and Drug Metabolism, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 5500 Nathan Shock Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
    • ,
  • Takeshi Saito

      Affiliations

    • Chemistry and Drug Metabolism, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 5500 Nathan Shock Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
    • Tokai University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan
    • ,
  • Neil Fortner

      Affiliations

    • ChoicePoint, Inc., Alpharetta, GA
    • ,
  • Tsadik Abraham

      Affiliations

    • Chemistry and Drug Metabolism, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 5500 Nathan Shock Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
    • ,
  • Richard A. Gustafson

      Affiliations

    • US Navy, Navy Drug Screening Laboratory, Jacksonville, FL, USA
    • ,
  • Michael L. Smith

  • Received 24 January 2007; received in revised form 27 March 2007; accepted 1 April 2007. published online 10 May 2007

Abstract 

Sweat testing is a noninvasive technique for monitoring drug exposure over a 7-day period in treatment, criminal justice, and employment settings. We evaluated Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) excretion in 11 daily cannabis users after cessation of drug use. PharmChek® sweat patches worn for 7 days were analyzed for THC by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The limit of quantification (LOQ) for the method was 0.4ng THC/patch. Sweat patches worn the first week of continuously monitored abstinence had THC above the United States Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration's proposed cutoff concentration for federal workplace testing of 1ng THC/patch. Mean±S.E.M. THC concentrations were 3.85±0.86ng THC/patch. Eight of 11 subjects had negative patches the second week and one produced THC positive patches for 4 weeks of monitored abstinence. We also tested daily and weekly sweat patches from seven subjects who were administered oral doses of up to 14.8mg THC/day for five consecutive days. In this oral THC administration study, no daily or weekly patches had THC above the LOQ; concurrent plasma THC concentrations were all less than 6.1μg/L. In conclusion, using proposed federal cutoff concentrations, most daily cannabis users will have a positive sweat patch in the first week after ceasing drug use and a negative patch after subsequent weeks, although patches may remain positive for 4 weeks or more. Oral ingestion of up to 14.8mg THC daily does not produce a THC positive sweat patch test...read full article

 

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