title: Radioimmunoassay of buprenorphine in urine: studies in patients and in a drug clinic.
abstract: A radioimmunoassay kit (DPC buprenorphine double antibody) was evaluated with clinical samples and samples from a drug clinic. Urine samples were collected over a 2-day period from 5 hospital in-patients receiving sublingual buprenorphine, 400 to 2000 micrograms/day, for the relief of chronic pain. Samples were measured before and after enzymatic hydrolysis. Urine buprenorphine concentrations were measurable at all doses studied (minimum value 5.6 ng/mL) and were greater with larger doses. The increase in concentration after hydrolysis averaged 49% and was similar for all doses studied. The authors conclude that the method has extensive cross-reactivity with glucuronides of buprenorphine and its metabolites and that samples may be analyzed without prior hydrolysis. The prevalence of buprenorphine use in 97 patients attending a drug clinic was also studied. Sixty (62%) had measurable urinary buprenorphine concentrations of 1 ng/mL or more by direct assay. The buprenorphine users were significantly younger and reported significantly greater use of opiates than nonusers.
authors.affiliation: DPC European Research Institute, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Hand
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Dutt
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Talbot
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: McQuay
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002047:Buprenorphine / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000652:urine*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000652:urine*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D002047:Buprenorphine