Doping control analysis of trimetazidine in dried blood spot.

Dried blood spot (DBS) analysis has been an inherent part of sports drug testing through the technological advancements of the past decade. Trimetazidine, a non-threshold banned substance, is excreted into urine after a dose of the permitted drug lomerizine. Therefore, a lomerizine-specific metabolite (M6) is analyzed to confirm the origin of trimetazidine in traditional urine analysis. Application studies were conducted to develop an analytical method for trimetazidine applicable to DBS. These studies comprise (1) the effect of different sampling sites on the detection of trimetazidine, (2) the determination of the appropriate trimetazidine level required for DBS analysis, and (3) differentiating between trimetazidine and lomerizine use. A high-resolution mass spectrometric method for detecting trimetazidine in DBS was validated. After oral administration of trimetazidine (n = 7), venous and capillary blood (fingertip and upper arm) were spotted on cellulose paper. Trimetazidine could be identified in DBS in all subjects up to 60 h after administration. The limit of detection was 0.05 ng/ml, and the limit of identification was 0.06 ng/ml, suggesting the minimum required performance level of 0.2 ng/ml. In the fingertip capillary blood, biases of 9.7% (vs. upper arm) and 13.0% (vs. vein) were observed in the trimetazidine intensity; however, there were no concerns in the qualitative analysis. After administering lomerizine (n = 10), the intact lomerizine has a strong peak intensity in blood compared to trimetazidine. Contrary to urine analysis, the M6 was less detectable in blood. Laboratories should confirm intact lomerizine whenever trimetazidine is identified in DBS.

Doping control analyses during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The doping control analyses at the XXXII Olympic Games (July 23 to August 8, 2021) and the XVI Paralympic Games (August 24 to September 5, 2021) held in Tokyo, Japan, after a year of delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic are summarized in this paper. A new satellite facility at the existing World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-accredited Tokyo laboratory was established and fully operated by 278 staff, including 33 Tokyo laboratory staff, 49 international experts, and 196 Japanese temporary staff. The numbers of urine samples were 5081 (Olympics) and 1519 (Paralympics), and the numbers of blood samples were 1103 (Olympics) and 500 (Paralympics). The laboratory could prepare for analysis in advance using a paperless chain-of-custody system, allowing for faster turnaround time reporting. For the first time, a new polymerase chain reaction method for detecting erythropoietin (EPO) gene doping was used. The laboratory also analyzed blood samples for detecting steroid esters following the spotting of collected venous EDTA blood onto dried blood spot cards. Moreover, full-scan data acquisition using high-resolution mass spectrometers was performed for all urine samples, allowing for detecting traces of doping substances, which are not currently analyzed in the subsequent data processing. The presence of some prohibited substances was confirmed, resulting in 8 atypical findings (ATFs) and 11 adverse analytical findings (AAFs), including homologous blood transfusion (2 cases) and recombinant EPO in the blood (1 case), at the Olympics, whereas 2 ATFs and 10 AAFs were reported at the Paralympics.

Beneficial Effects of Saw Palmetto Fruit Extract on Urinary Symptoms in Japanese Female Subjects by a Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.

Saw palmetto berry extract (SPE) is the most commonly consumed supplement by men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The oral administration of SPE was previously shown to significantly attenuate urodynamic symptoms in the hyperactive bladders of female rats by increasing bladder capacity and prolonging the micturition interval. The amelioration of urodynamic symptoms by SPE may be partly attributed to its binding to muscarinic receptors in the urinary bladder and its inhibition of vanilloid receptors on afferent nerves. Therefore, SPE may be pharmacologically effective at mitigating lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in women. The efficacy and safety of a 12-week treatment with SPE in adult women with urinary symptoms were examined herein. The daytime frequency score in the core lower urinary symptom score (CLSS) questionnaire was significantly lower in women with LUTS treated with SPE for 12 weeks than in the placebo group. A subgroup analysis revealed that SPE alleviated the symptoms of daytime frequency (CLSS Q1) and nocturia (CLSS Q2) in a subset of subjects with a CLSS Q5 score of 1 or higher. The daytime frequency of urination in overactive bladder symptom score (OABSS) Q1 was also significantly improved by the SPE treatment. In conclusion, the present study is the first to demonstrate the potential of SPE to mitigate LUTS in adult women.

Detection of bazedoxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, in human urine by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Bazedoxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, has been explicitly included in the prohibited list issued by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) since January 2020. A high-resolution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric detection method was developed to identify bazedoxifene and its metabolites in human urine and to quantify bazedoxifene (free plus glucuronide) for doping control purposes. Bazedoxifene acetate (20 mg) was orally administered to seven male volunteers, and the urine samples collected were analyzed using the developed method. The linearity ranged from 0.5 to 200 ng/ml, and the limit of detection was <0.2 ng/ml. The interday precision (2.2% to 3.6%) and the interday accuracy (-10.0% to 1.9%) were adequate. Bazedoxifene, bazedoxifene-N-oxide, and bazedoxifene glucoconjugates were identified in the urine samples. The profiles of the urinary excretion indicated the presence of small amounts of free bazedoxifene and bazedoxifene-N-oxide, whereas bazedoxifene glucuronide was the predominant metabolite. The cumulative excretion amount of bazedoxifene (free form plus glucuronide conjugate) within 78 h after the administration was 0.7% to 1.3% of the total dose. In all subjects, bazedoxifene (free plus glucuronide) could be detected in urine up to 78 h after administration.

Efficacy and safety of intravesical instillation of KRP-116D (50% dimethyl sulfoxide solution) for interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome in Japanese patients: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravesical KRP-116D, 50% dimethyl sulfoxide solution compared with placebo, in interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome patients. METHODS: Japanese interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome patients with an O'Leary-Sant Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index score of ≥9, who exhibited the bladder-centric phenotype of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome diagnosed by cystoscopy and bladder-derived pain, were enrolled. Patients were allocated to receive either KRP-116D (n = 49) or placebo (n = 47). The study drug was intravesically administered every 2 weeks for 12 weeks. RESULTS: For the primary endpoint, the change in the mean O'Leary-Sant Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index score from baseline to week 12 was -5.2 in the KRP-116D group and -3.4 in the placebo group. The estimated difference between the KRP-116D and placebo groups was -1.8 (95% confidence interval -3.3, -0.3; P = 0.0188). Statistically significant improvements for KRP-116D were also observed in the secondary endpoints including O'Leary-Sant Interstitial Cystitis Problem Index score, micturition episodes/24 h, voided volume/micturition, maximum voided volume/micturition, numerical rating scale score for bladder pain, and global response assessment score. The adverse drug reactions were mild to moderate, and manageable. CONCLUSIONS: This first randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial shows that KRP-116D improves symptoms, voiding parameters, and global response assessment, compared with placebo, and has a well-tolerated safety profile in interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome patients with the bladder-centric phenotype.

Impact of community pharmacist-led intensive education on the control of serum phosphate levels in haemodialysis patients.

Background Administration of phosphate binders can decrease serum phosphate levels and improve the prognosis of patients on dialysis. However, patients are often non-adherent to phosphate binder medication. Although community pharmacist-led education could be effective in the maintenance of adherence to phosphate binder medication, its impact has not been evaluated. Objective We aimed to evaluate the impact of community pharmacist-led intensive education focusing on phosphate binders for patients receiving haemodialysis. Setting The study comprising three phases (baseline phase, intervention phase, and follow-up phase) was conducted at the Yamauchi Pharmacy, Japan. Method Six pharmacists provided intensive education focusing on phosphate binders to patients receiving haemodialysis. As intensive education, a sheet containing checks for the remaining phosphate binders and information advising the patients on the use of the drugs was issued. Using the check sheet filled in by the patient, the pharmacists repeatedly provided education appropriate to the individual patient's medication status and level of understanding to encourage the correct use of phosphate binders for 8 weeks (intervention phase). We investigated their serum phosphate levels from their medical records from 2 months before the start of intensive education (baseline phase) to 8 months after the end of the education (follow-up phase). Main outcome measure Serum phosphate levels in patients receiving haemodialysis after intensive education by community pharmacists. Results Fifty patients were enrolled in this study. During the intervention phase, serum phosphate levels in the patients with high and the highest serum phosphate level (6-7 mg/dL and ≥ 7 mg/dL, respectively) significantly decreased by 6.9% (P = 0.007) and 10.9% (P = 0.034), respectively. The levels remained below the baseline value throughout the follow-up phase in patients with the highest serum phosphate level. Conclusion Community pharmacist-led education focusing on phosphate binders affects short- and long-term management of serum phosphate levels in patients receiving haemodialysis, especially the patients whose levels were initially high.

A randomized controlled study of the efficacy of tadalafil monotherapy versus combination of tadalafil and mirabegron for the treatment of persistent overactive bladder symptoms in men presenting with lower urinary tract symptoms (CONTACT Study).

AIM: To evaluate efficacy and safety of combination of tadalafil + mirabegron for overactive bladder/benign prostatic hyperplasia (OAB/BPH). METHODS: Male patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (50 to 89 years), with remaining OAB symptoms even after administering tadalafil for more than 8 weeks were randomly assigned to either tadalafil monotherapy group (5 mg/day) or tadalafil/mirabegron combination therapy group (5 mg/50 mg/day). The primary endpoint was change from baseline in total OAB symptom score (OABSS) at week 12. The secondary endpoints were changes in International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), NIH-chronic prostatitis symptom index (NIH-CPSI), and micturition chart parameters at weeks 4 and 12. RESULTS: A total of 176 patients were randomized to either monotherapy (87 patients) or combination therapy (89 patients). The baseline characteristics of patients in the two groups were similar. The total OABSS (95% confidence interval) of combination therapy was significantly decreased by 1.78 (1.05-2.50) points compared with that of monotherapy (P < .001). Changes from baseline in OABSS nighttime voiding score, urgency score, urgency incontinence score, IPSS storage subscores, NIH-CPSI total score, and numbers of voids, nighttime-voids, and urgency episodes/day in micturition chart were significantly reduced in combination therapy (all P < .001). Patient-reported outcome was significantly more satisfactory in combination therapy than in monotherapy (P < .001). One moderate adverse event (pain in hip joint) with hardly presumed causal relationship with therapy and seven mild adverse events were noted in monotherapy and combination therapy group, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The effect of tadalafil/mirabegron combination therapy on relieving OAB symptoms appeared to be greater than that of tadalafil monotherapy and can be safely used.

Analysis of tretoquinol and its metabolites in human urine by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Tretoquinol (trimetoquinol), a ß2-agonist, has been explicitly listed on the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List 2019 since January 2019; however, it has been distributed as an antiasthmatic on the medical market. This study aimed to develop a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method for the quantification of tretoquinol (free form plus glucuronide) in human urine for doping control purposes. An excretion study (n = 6) of tretoquinol hydrochloride hydrate (6 mg) was performed, and urine samples were collected prior to oral administration and during the first 48 h, along with spot urine samples at 7 and 14 days after administration. All the urine samples were analysed using the developed method. The limit of detection for the developed method was 0.03 ng/mL. The inter-day precision for the target analyte was excellent (2.7% to 9.2%), and the inter-day accuracy of target analyte was -0.6% to -3.6%. In all subjects, tretoquinol (free form plus glucuronide conjugate) was identified up to 48 h after administration. The maximum concentrations were in the range of 12.4-78.8 ng/mL and the mean concentration was 55.3 ng/mL. The metabolites O-methylated tretoquinol, tretoquinol sulphate and O-methylated tretoquinol sulphate could be also identified in human urine after administration. The longest-lasting urinary metabolite of tretoquinol currently known, O-methylated tretoquinol, is also likely to be a useful marker in doping controls.

Changes in QTc interval in long-term hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases, including sudden cardiac death (SCD), are the leading cause of death in hemodialysis (HD) patients. A prolonged QT interval on the electrocardiogram (ECG) is a risk factor for SCD in HD patients. This study investigated whether the heart rate-corrected QT (QTc) interval becomes prolonged along with dialysis vintage. METHODS: A total of 102 HD patients were retrospectively studied. Their ECG data were analyzed at 1, 4, and 7 years after HD initiation. The control group comprised 68 age-matched individuals who had normal renal function and two available ECG reports at an interval of more than 4 years. QTc was measured according to the Bazett formula. The association between QTc interval and dialysis vintage was studied. Additionally, clinically relevant variables related to QTc duration at 1 year after HD initiation were assessed. RESULTS: Average QTc interval at 4 and 7 years after HD initiation was significantly longer than that at 1 year after HD initiation (443, 445, and 437 ms) (p<0.05). On the other hand, QTc interval in the control group was 425 ms in the first year and 426 ms after an average of 6 years. They had no significant differences, although they were much shorter than that in HD patients. Multivariate regression analysis of baseline variables revealed that the corrected calcium levels (p = 0.041) and diabetes (p = 0.043) were independently associated with longer QTc interval. CONCLUSIONS: The QTc interval at 1 year after HD initiation was longer than in the control subjects and was prolonged over several years of HD treatment. Providing clinical management with a focus on QTc interval may be helpful for reducing the incidence of SCD in HD patients.

Lomerizine, trimetazidine and bis-(4-fluorophenyl)-methylpiperazine in human urine after oral administration of lomerizine dihydrochloride: analysis by liquid chromatography-high resolution-tandem mass spectrometry.

In sports drugs testing, the differentiation between the abuse of the prohibited substance trimetazidine and that of the permitted drug lomerizine is required because trimetazidine is one of the metabolites of lomerizine. Therefore, it is important to identify a lomerizine-specific metabolite in urine that allows making the distinction. In this study, a simple dilute-and-shoot method employing liquid chromatography-high resolution-tandem mass spectrometry for the quantification of trimetazidine, lomerizine and the specific metabolite bis-(4-fluorophenyl)-methylpiperazine (M6) in urine was developed. An oral dose of 15 mg was administered to 10 male volunteers, after which urine samples collected during the following 276 hours were analyzed using the developed method, allowing for examination of the target analytes' excretion profile. The limit of detection of all target analytes was <0.02 ng/mL. In all volunteers, the metabolite M6 was detected up to 276 hours after administration. After more than 12 hours, all volunteers were found to have higher concentrations of the metabolite M6 than of trimetazidine. The concentrations of trimetazidine, lomerizine, M6, and the M6/trimetazidine ratio in the final sample collected after 276 hours were 0.2-0.9 ng/mL, <0.05-0.1 ng/mL, 14.1-38.3 ng/mL, and 28.8-122.9, respectively. The urinary excretion of trimetazidine, unchanged lomerizine, and the metabolite M6 within the first 276 hours was 0.64%, 0.006%, and 6.1%, respectively. Consequently, the absence of the metabolite M6 in doping control urine samples corroborates the conclusion that lomerizine is unlikely to be the source of trimetazidine. The results confirm that the M6 metabolite is the longest-lasting urinary metabolite of lomerizine currently known.

Oral L-citrulline and Transresveratrol Supplementation Improves Erectile Function in Men With Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Crossover Pilot Study.

INTRODUCTION: Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5i) are first-line therapy for most men with erectile dysfunction (ED). If ineffective, vacuum erection devices, intracavernous injections, and penile prosthesis implantation are suitable as second- or third-line therapies. However, very few patients select these therapies. It is critically important to improve erectile function with oral administration of effective agents. Administration of L-citrulline or transresveratrol in animal experiments has been reported to improve erectile function, but few such experiments have been performed on humans with ED. AIM: We aimed to investigate the efficacy of combination therapy of L-citrulline and transresveratrol in patients with ED despite their use of PDE5i. METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover pilot study, men with ED (Sexual Health Inventory for Men [SHIM] score below 16) despite on-demand use of PDE5i received a placebo for 1 month or the active treatment (L-citrulline 800 mg/day and transresveratrol 300 mg/day) for another month. Patients continued on-demand use of PDE5i. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The SHIM score, Erection Hardness Score (EHS), Aging Male Symptoms Scale-sexual domain (AMS-SD), and adverse events were examined. RESULTS: 20 patients ages 29-78 years were enrolled, and after 6 men withdrew, 13 concluded the study without adverse events. Mean SHIM score for the active treatment increased significantly (10.96 ± 1.21) compared with baseline (8.32 ± 1.21) and placebo (8.31 ± 1.23) (both P < .05). Mean EHS score for the active treatment (2.56 ± 0.26) also increased from baseline (2.31 ± 0.26), but not significantly (P = .79). Mean AMS-SD score was not significantly different in either group. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that combination therapy of L-citrulline and transresveratrol is effective for ED treatment in men with added on-demand use of PDE5i. This combination supplement may be added if PDE5i is insufficient. Shirai M, Hiramatsu I, Aoki Y, et al. Oral L-citrulline and Transresveratrol Supplementation Improves Erectile Function in Men With Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Crossover Pilot Study. Sex Med 2018;6:291-296.

Clinical Effects of Formulated Food of Peucedanum japonicum Extract and Saw Palmetto Extract in Male Patients with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate changes over time in subjective symptom scores and urination parameters before and after oral administration of formulated food containing a combination of Peucedanum japonicum (P. japonicum) extract and saw palmetto extract (SPE) in male patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). METHODS: This study was conducted in an open label manner on male patients with untreated LUTS. The urination state of patients was evaluated before and after administration of food formulated with P. japonicum extract and SPE for 4 weeks, based on urodynamic parameters and subjective symptom scores (International Prostate Symptom Score [IPSS and IPSS-QOL], Overactive Bladder Symptom Score [OABSS], Overactive Bladder Questionnaire [OAB-q], and International Index of Erectile Function [IIEF]). RESULTS: After the administration of food formulated with these extracts, the following results were obtained: (i) Subjective findings: The IPSS-QOL score improved significantly; both parameters related to nocturia, i.e., frequency of nighttime urination and OABSS-2, improved significantly; other ratings for subjective symptoms slightly improved. (ii) Objective findings: Residual urine volume decreased significantly, and blood prostate specific antigen (PSA) and urinary 8-OHdG levels decreased slightly after the treatment. (iii) Other findings: Blood pressure decreased slightly. No adverse drug reactions were reported. (iv) Patient impressions: 75% of patients gave a rating of "Good" or higher, with 15 out of 20 patients wanting to continue treatment after the end of 4-week administration period. CONCLUSIONS: Food formulated with P. japonicum extract and SPE may be useful to decrease frequency of nighttime urination and residual urine volume in male patients with LUTS.

Determination of higenamine and coclaurine levels in human urine after the administration of a throat lozenge containing Nandina domestica fruit.

Higenamine is a key component of traditional Chinese herbal medicine. The fruit of Nandina domestica (which contains this component) is available as an ingredient in the so-called Nanten-nodo-ame throat lozenge found on the Japanese market, which is an over-the-counter pharmaceutical and is easy to purchase for Japanese athletes. However, higenamine is a non-selective ß2-agonist, which is exemplified in the prohibited list of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Therefore, some have raised a concern regarding the potential cause of increased unintentional higenamine doping cases in the Asian region. This study aimed to investigate components of throat lozenges and develop a mass-spectrometry method for the quantification of higenamine and coclaurine in human urine. Moreover, a population study of Japanese subjects (n = 246) and an excretion study (n = 4) of the corresponding throat-lozenge recipients were performed to test the applicability of the current reporting threshold (i.e., 10 ng/mL) of higenamine set by WADA. The estimates of higenamine and coclaurine were 2.2 ± 0.1 µg/drop (mean of n = 12) and 0.5 ± 0.01 µg/drop (mean of n = 12), respectively. The maximum concentrations of higenamine and coclaurine were 0.2-0.4 and 0.3-1.0 ng/mL, respectively, at 10-12 h after administration of higenamine (nine drops); however, the concentrations in all four volunteers did not reach the positivity criterion of 10 ng/mL. No higenamine and coclaurine could be detected in the Japanese subjects. Therefore, there is no risk of detecting unintentional higenamine doping when the WADA reporting threshold is used.

Mass spectrometric characterisation of darbepoetin alfa biosimilars with C-terminal arginine residues.

Human erythropoietin (EPO) and recombinant human EPO (rEPO) are approximately 30-kDa glycosylated proteins comprising 165 amino acids. Darbepoetin alfa (NESP) is a glycosylated protein encompassing five changes in the amino acid sequence of human EPO, which contains two extra sugar chains. NESP is under patent protection in the USA until May 2024 and in Europe until July 2016, which suggests that the number of NESP biosimilars might substantially increase. The detailed characterisation of biosimilar products are required to ensure the identity and purity of the biosimilar products in terms of safety and efficacy for patients. In this study, a mass spectrometric characterisation of NESP biosimilar products is demonstrated. The study comprises a time-of-flight mass spectrometry characterisation for the asialo-NESPs after sialidase digestion and primary structure characterisation using bottom-up analysis after endoproteinase Glu-C digestion of the core protein. The study revealed that there was a wide range of glycoforms spaced by 365 Da intervals, namely, HexHexNAc units, which indicated that NESP biosimilars likely contained more N-acetyllactosamine units in their molecules. The bottom-up analysis also showed that the NESP biosimilars, as well as a rEPO biosimilar, contain not only the des-arginine product but also the C-terminal arginine product comprising 166 amino acids, whereas the innovator products contain des-arginine EPO comprising only 165 amino acids. The C-terminal arginine EPO would be used as a potential marker for doping with EPO bisimilaras. These findings also point to a need for the investigation of immunogenicity and comparability for the biosimilar products. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Comparison of mirabegron and imidafenacin for efficacy and safety in Japanese female patients with overactive bladder: A randomized controlled trial (COMFORT study).

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of mirabegron compared with imidafenacin for the treatment of female patients with overactive bladder. METHODS: Patients (n = 89) were randomized to receive 0.1 mg imidafenacin twice daily (n = 47) or 50 mg mirabegron once daily (n = 42) for 12 weeks. The primary efficacy end-point was change in total Overactive Bladder Symptom Score. Secondary efficacy end-points included change in Overactive Bladder Symptom Score, 3-day micturition diary, International Prostate Symptom Score and Overactive Bladder Questionnaire. Safety assessments included adverse events, vital signs, post-void residual volume and patient-reported incidence, and severity of distinctive symptoms related to adverse events. RESULTS: The mirabegron group showed a significantly reduced mean total Overactive Bladder Symptom Score from baseline, but no significant differences were noted in change of total Overactive Bladder Symptom Score compared with the imidafenacin group. Significant improvements in secondary efficacy end-points were observed regarding the mean number of micturitions/24 h, mean number of urgency episodes/24 h, mean number of incontinence episodes/24 h, mean volume voided/micturition, total International Prostate Symptom Score and quality of life in both groups, with no significant differences between the groups. The overall incidence of adverse events and the incidence of dry mouth were significantly higher in the imidafenacin group than in the mirabegron group. Patient-reported incidence and the severity of dry mouth were significantly exacerbated in the imidafenacin group. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with 50 mg mirabegron once daily effectively relieves overactive bladder symptoms in women with fewer adverse events than treatment with antimuscarinics.

Effects of intravenous infusion of glycerol on blood parameters and urinary glycerol concentrations.

In sports, the oral intake and intravenous administration of glycerol as a potential masking agent have been prohibited. The effect of glycerol on blood parameters was investigated by comparing the intravenous administration of glycerol (20g/200mL) with that of an electrolyte (8g glucose/200mL) as a comparator (n=7, fixed-dose-rate i.v. infusion, 200mL in 1h). This study was also designed to evaluate whether the urinary concentrations reached the positivity threshold after the intravenous infusion of glycerol. Significant decreases of the haemoglobin (HGB, g/dL), haematocrit (HCT, %) and OFF-h Score (OFF-score) values were observed after the infusion of glycerol (P<0.05 at 1-6h). The differences in the HGB, HCT and OFF-score between pre- and post-administration were -0.49±0.23g/dL (2h), -1.54±0.73% (2h) and -3.89±3.66 (2h), respectively. Glycerol infusion significantly increased the plasma volume by 12.1% (1h), 6.3% (2h) and 5.7% (3h) compared with the initial values. The infusion of the comparator also increased the plasma volume by 9.6% (1h), 5.8% (2h) and 4.9% (3h) compared with the values before infusion. There were no significant differences in the change of the plasma volume between the intravenous infusions of glycerol and the glucose-based electrolyte (as the comparator) (P≥0.05). This finding might indicate that glycerol itself only exhibited limited effects on the expansion of plasma. After administration of glycerol, the urinary glycerol concentrations increased from 0.0013±0.0004mg/mL to 6.86±2.86mg/mL at 1h and 6.45±3.08mg/mL at 2h. The intravenous infusion of glycerol can most likely be detected using the current urine analysis; however, the dependence of the concentration of urinary glycerol on the urine volume should be considered.

Analytical detection of trimetazidine produced by metabolic conversion of lomerizine in doping control analysis.

The identification of trimetazidine in urine samples might result from administration of the permitted drug lomerizine. Laboratories are therefore urged to carefully investigate suspicious cases where trimetazidine is detected. Differentiation of abuse of the banned substance trimetazidine from use of the permitted drug lomerizine would be supported by analysis of the intact drug lomerizine and/or specific metabolites. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Comparison of urine analysis and dried blood spot analysis for the detection of ephedrine and methylephedrine in doping control.

When the misuse of stimulants is determined in doping control tests conducted during the in-competition period, athletes are asked to account for the violation of the rules. This study was designed to evaluate whether the urinary threshold values (10 µg/mL) for ephedrine and methylephedrine set by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) can be exceeded after the oral administration of each substance (25 mg). In addition, the study describes the validity of a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method using dried blood spot testing to detect ephedrine and methylephedrine by comparing it to a quantitative laboratory urine assay. After administration of ephedrine, the urinary concentration of ephedrine did not exceed the threshold at 4-10 h in two subjects, whereas the threshold was exceeded in both the subjects at 12 h after administration. For methylephedrine, the urinary concentrations of all the subjects failed to reach the threshold for up to 10 h after administration. The concentrations reached the threshold at 12-24 h after administration in some volunteers. In contrast, the blood concentrations of ephedrine and methylephedrine reached their maximum levels at 2-8 h after administration. The blood concentrations showed a low inter-individual variability, and the results suggested that the urinary excretion of ephedrine and methylephedrine can be strongly affected by urine pH and/or urine volume. These facts suggest that urinary concentrations cannot reflect the psychoactive level of ephedrines in circulation. Thus, dried blood analysis might be suitable for the adequate detection of stimulants during in-competition testing.

Determination of mepitiostane metabolites in human urine by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry for sports drug testing.

Mepitiostane (2α,3α-epithio-17ß-(1-methoxycyclopentyloxy)-5α-androstane), which is a prodrug of epitiostanol (2α,3α-epitio-5α-androstane-17ß-ol), is an epitiosteroid having anti-estrogenic and weak androgenic anabolic activities. The World Anti-Doping Agency prohibits the misuse of mepitiostane by athletes. Detection of the urinary metabolites epitiostanol sulfoxide and epitiostanol was studied using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC-MS) for doping control purposes. The use of LC-MS provided advantages over gas chromatography/mass spectrometry for detecting heat labile steroids because epitiostanol and epitiostanol sulfoxide were primarily pyrolized to 5α-androst-2-en-17ß-ol. The method consists of enzymatic hydrolysis using ß-glucuronidase (Escherichia coli), liquid-liquid extraction, and subsequent ultra-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray-tandem mass spectrometry. Epitiostanol sulfoxide was determined at urinary concentrations of 0.5-50ng/mL, recovery was 76.2-96.9%, and assay precision was calculated as 0.9-1.7% (intra-day) and 2.0-6.6% (inter-day). Epitiostanol was determined at urinary concentrations of 0.5-50ng/mL, recovery was 26.1-35.6% and assay precision was calculated as 4.1-4.6% (intra-day) and 3.3-8.5% (inter-day). The limits of detection for epitiostanol sulfoxide and epitiostanol were 0.05ng/mL and 0.10ng/mL, respectively. Epitiostanol sulfoxide and epitiostanol, as their gluco-conjugates, were identified in human urine after oral administration of 10mg mepitiostane. Epitiostanol sulfoxide and epitiostanol could be detected up to 48h and 24h after administration, respectively. The results showed that the detection window of epitiostanol is much shorter than that of epitiostanol sulfoxide. The LC-MS detection of urinary epitiostanol sulfoxide, a specific metabolite with a sulphur atom in its molecular structure, is likely to be able to identify the abuse of mepitiostane.

Possibility of analytical finding of glycerol caused by self-catheterization in doping control.

Glycerol is listed on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list as a masking agent principally because the administration of glycerol increases plasma volume and decreases the concentration of haemoglobin and the value of haematocrit in blood. Glycerol is a naturally occurring substance; therefore, the threshold is set as 1.0 mg/mL in the WADA technical document (WADA TD2013DL). In a WADA-accredited doping control laboratory, three doping control urine specimens collected from impaired athletes were determined to contain a high concentration of glycerol (>1.0 mg/mL); two of these specimens were considered adverse analytical findings (AAFs). Self-catheterization is necessary for athletes with neurological disorders such as neurogenic bladder dysfunction. We conducted a simple simulation of self-catheterization as an experimental test using urethral catheters with an antiseptic agent containing glycerol to confirm the influence of this antiseptic agent on the quantitative value of glycerol in doping control analysis. Some users employ a catheter with glycerol solution (ca. 1 mL) to avoid pain during use. The urine sample passed through such a catheter exhibited a glycerol concentration (4.94 mg/mL) greater than the threshold level. In September 2014, the threshold for glycerol will change from 1.0 to 4.3 mg/mL (WADA TD2014DL); however, a possibility exists for the quantitative value of glycerol in doping control analysis to exceed the threshold because of the use of an antiseptic agent containing glycerol for self-catheterization. The AAF for glycerol for impaired athletes, particularly those who participate in Paralympic sports, should account for the use of a catheter with glycerol.