title: Benzodiazepine screening using EMIT II and TDx: urine hydrolysis pretreatment required.
abstract: Urine specimens were collected from individuals prescribed oral doses of the following benzodiazepine tablets: diazepam, oxazepam, temazepam, lorazepam, alprazolam, flurazepam, and chlordiazepoxide. An aliquot was hydrolyzed using Helix pomatia beta-glucuronidase. Both the hydrolyzed and unhydrolyzed urine pairs were subjected to EMIT II and TDx immunoassay screening tests and to gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric quantitation. Hydrolysis is required to ensure adequate detection of oxazepam, temazepam, and lorazepam with either screening method. A 100-ng/mL cutoff is required when screening for lorazepam, following therapeutic doses. The EMIT II is more sensitive than the TDx as a screening test for benzodiazepines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, St. Boniface General Hospital, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meatherall
mesh_terms: D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000276:immunology / Q000652:urine*; D003429:Cross Reactions / Q000276:immunology; D017248:Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay Technique / Q000295:instrumentation*; D016231:Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D005966:Glucuronidase / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006868:Hydrolysis
chemical_list: D001569:Benzodiazepines; D005966:Glucuronidase