title: Application of high-resolution mass spectrometry to determination of baclofen in a case of fatal intoxication.
abstract: The study focused on the application of high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) to postmortem toxicological analysis. Fast and simple sample preparation involved precipitation with acetonitrile, removal of phospholipids using special columns and filtration. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The method was validated by determining the limit of quantification, precision, recovery and matrix effect. The use of a high-resolution spectrometer allowed us to determine the precise masses of the fragments of interest and to suggest the fragmentation pathway of baclofen. The usefulness, effectiveness and assets of the procedure were confirmed by an authentic case of a 25-year-old woman fatally intoxicated with baclofen who was found dead in her apartment. Toxicological analysis of postmortem blood samples demonstrated that the baclofen concentration was 30.7 μg/mL. In only one published case describing fatal baclofen intoxication were no other xenobiotics (that could interact with baclofen) found. To our knowledge, this is the first report dealing with analysis of baclofen by HRMS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, ul. J. Mikulicza-Radeckiego 4, 50-345 Wrocław, Poland ; Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, ul. Jaczewskiego 8b, 20-090 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Szpot
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, ul. Jaczewskiego 8b, 20-090 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chłopaś
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, ul. Jaczewskiego 8b, 20-090 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buszewicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, ul. Jaczewskiego 8b, 20-090 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Teresiński
keywords: Baclofen; Fatal intoxication; HRMS; LC–MS; QTOF