Detection of methadone and buprenorphine in urine samples from inmates of German prisons
The use of non-prescribed opioid substitution drugs is a serious public health problem, involving general population as well as vulnerable populations such as prisoners. The estimation of the prevalence of opioid substitution drug misuse in prisoners is crucial to suggest strategies to contrast this...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1139370/full |
| _version_ | 1797893807764668416 |
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| author | Giorgia Franchetti Giorgia Franchetti Annette Thierauf-Emberger Anette Franz Vanessa Thoma Volker Auwärter Laura M. Huppertz |
| author_facet | Giorgia Franchetti Giorgia Franchetti Annette Thierauf-Emberger Anette Franz Vanessa Thoma Volker Auwärter Laura M. Huppertz |
| author_sort | Giorgia Franchetti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The use of non-prescribed opioid substitution drugs is a serious public health problem, involving general population as well as vulnerable populations such as prisoners. The estimation of the prevalence of opioid substitution drug misuse in prisoners is crucial to suggest strategies to contrast this phenomenon and reduce the associated morbidity and mortality. The present study aimed to provide an objective estimation of the prevalence of illicit use of methadone and buprenorphine in two German prisons. Urine samples were collected from inmates of Freiburg and Offenburg prisons at random times and tested for the detection of methadone, buprenorphine and their metabolites. Analyses were performed by a validated liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method. In total 678 inmates participated in this study. The participation rate was about 60% of all permanent inmates. Of the 675 samples suitable for the analysis, 70 samples (10.4%) tested positive for methadone, 70 samples (10.4%) for buprenorphine, and 4 samples (0.6%) for both drugs. At least 100 samples (14.8%) were not associated with reported prescribed-opioid substitution treatment (OST). Buprenorphine was the most common illicitly used drug. In one of the prisons, buprenorphine was brought in from the outside. The present cross-sectional experimental study was able to provide reliable information regarding the illicit use of opioid substitution drugs in prisons. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T06:58:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-da3a024a9a9c4747a6c4465e7951d31c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T06:58:41Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-da3a024a9a9c4747a6c4465e7951d31c2023-02-28T04:54:54ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402023-02-011410.3389/fpsyt.2023.11393701139370Detection of methadone and buprenorphine in urine samples from inmates of German prisonsGiorgia Franchetti0Giorgia Franchetti1Annette Thierauf-Emberger2Anette Franz3Vanessa Thoma4Volker Auwärter5Laura M. Huppertz6Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, Unit of Legal Medicine and Toxicology, University of Padova, Padova, ItalyInstitute of Forensic Medicine, Forensic Toxicology, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, GermanyInstitute of Forensic Medicine, Forensic Toxicology, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, GermanyInstitute of Forensic Medicine, Forensic Toxicology, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, GermanyInstitute of Forensic Medicine, Forensic Toxicology, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, GermanyInstitute of Forensic Medicine, Forensic Toxicology, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, GermanyInstitute of Forensic Medicine, Forensic Toxicology, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, GermanyThe use of non-prescribed opioid substitution drugs is a serious public health problem, involving general population as well as vulnerable populations such as prisoners. The estimation of the prevalence of opioid substitution drug misuse in prisoners is crucial to suggest strategies to contrast this phenomenon and reduce the associated morbidity and mortality. The present study aimed to provide an objective estimation of the prevalence of illicit use of methadone and buprenorphine in two German prisons. Urine samples were collected from inmates of Freiburg and Offenburg prisons at random times and tested for the detection of methadone, buprenorphine and their metabolites. Analyses were performed by a validated liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method. In total 678 inmates participated in this study. The participation rate was about 60% of all permanent inmates. Of the 675 samples suitable for the analysis, 70 samples (10.4%) tested positive for methadone, 70 samples (10.4%) for buprenorphine, and 4 samples (0.6%) for both drugs. At least 100 samples (14.8%) were not associated with reported prescribed-opioid substitution treatment (OST). Buprenorphine was the most common illicitly used drug. In one of the prisons, buprenorphine was brought in from the outside. The present cross-sectional experimental study was able to provide reliable information regarding the illicit use of opioid substitution drugs in prisons.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1139370/fullprisonprescription drugsmethadonebuprenorphineillicit use |
| spellingShingle | Giorgia Franchetti Giorgia Franchetti Annette Thierauf-Emberger Anette Franz Vanessa Thoma Volker Auwärter Laura M. Huppertz Detection of methadone and buprenorphine in urine samples from inmates of German prisons Frontiers in Psychiatry prison prescription drugs methadone buprenorphine illicit use |
| title | Detection of methadone and buprenorphine in urine samples from inmates of German prisons |
| title_full | Detection of methadone and buprenorphine in urine samples from inmates of German prisons |
| title_fullStr | Detection of methadone and buprenorphine in urine samples from inmates of German prisons |
| title_full_unstemmed | Detection of methadone and buprenorphine in urine samples from inmates of German prisons |
| title_short | Detection of methadone and buprenorphine in urine samples from inmates of German prisons |
| title_sort | detection of methadone and buprenorphine in urine samples from inmates of german prisons |
| topic | prison prescription drugs methadone buprenorphine illicit use |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1139370/full |
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