The detection of hydrocodone in meconium : two case studies

The detection of hydrocodone in meconium samples is reported for the first time. Hydrocodone, a semisynthetic antitussive and analgesic, is often prescribed as a painkiller following minor surgery or dental work. It also cross-reacts in enzyme and fluorescence polarization immunoassay opiate systems...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of analytical toxicology 1995-10, Vol.19 (6), p.514-518
Main Authors: MOORE, C. M, DEITERMANN, D, LEWIS, D, LEIKIN, J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analgesics
Biological and medical sciences
Codeine
Codeine - analysis
Codeine - metabolism
Drug addictions
Enzymes
Fluorescence polarization
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
Humans
Hydrocodone - analysis
Hydrolysis
Hydromorphone - analysis
Hydromorphone - metabolism
Immunoassays
Infant, Newborn
Meconium
Meconium - chemistry
Medical sciences
Morphine
Morphine - analysis
Morphine - metabolism
Opiates
Surgery
Toxicology
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Summary:The detection of hydrocodone in meconium samples is reported for the first time. Hydrocodone, a semisynthetic antitussive and analgesic, is often prescribed as a painkiller following minor surgery or dental work. It also cross-reacts in enzyme and fluorescence polarization immunoassay opiate systems. In two cases recently received by our laboratory, hydrocodone was detected following a positive opiate immunoassay screening result. The meconium samples were not hydrolyzed because previous work in our laboratory showed that greater than 70% of morphine in meconium is not glucuronide bound. The confirmatory procedures showed that, in case No. 1, codeine was also detected but at a much lower concentration than the hydrocodone. In case No. 2, morphine was detected but, again, at a much lower concentration than the hydrocodone. Even though in both samples another opiate was also detected, the possibility still remains that a positive opiate test result may be reported by screen-only laboratories based solely on the presence of hydrocodone. We present a novel extraction method and a gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric confirmatory procedure for the determination of hydrocodone and hydromorphone in meconium.
ISSN:0146-4760
1945-2403
DOI:10.1093/jat/19.6.514