Biological Markers of Drug Use

TY - JOUR

T1 - Biological Markers of Drug Use

AU - Wolff, Kim

PY - 2006/12

Y1 - 2006/12

N2 - The variety of different body matrices that can be analysed to determine the presence or absence of different psychoactive substances is extensive, ranging from semen to cerumen. There are, however, practical limitations to the extent to which different biological samples can be used, and the mechanism of collection and supervision of samples are critical to the procedure. The drug being tested for, and the period of time that the clinician wishes to consider, influence the choice of body fluid. Blood gives the most accurate measurement of drugs currently active in the system, whereas urine provides a somewhat broader time period but with less quantitative accuracy. Hair provides a substantially longer timeframe. Oral fluid testing, though beneficial in terms of procedural ease, provides information over a short timeframe and in this sense is less advantageous than urine. Ideally, any positive test result should be confirmed by a second test working on different physicochemical principles to the screening test. Accurate interpretation of the drug screening test within a clinical setting, alongside any other relevant information, remains the key to the usefulness of any test.

AB - The variety of different body matrices that can be analysed to determine the presence or absence of different psychoactive substances is extensive, ranging from semen to cerumen. There are, however, practical limitations to the extent to which different biological samples can be used, and the mechanism of collection and supervision of samples are critical to the procedure. The drug being tested for, and the period of time that the clinician wishes to consider, influence the choice of body fluid. Blood gives the most accurate measurement of drugs currently active in the system, whereas urine provides a somewhat broader time period but with less quantitative accuracy. Hair provides a substantially longer timeframe. Oral fluid testing, though beneficial in terms of procedural ease, provides information over a short timeframe and in this sense is less advantageous than urine. Ideally, any positive test result should be confirmed by a second test working on different physicochemical principles to the screening test. Accurate interpretation of the drug screening test within a clinical setting, alongside any other relevant information, remains the key to the usefulness of any test.

KW - ILLICIT DRUG-USE

U2 - 10.1053/j.mppsy.2006.10.012

DO - 10.1053/j.mppsy.2006.10.012

M3 - Article

VL - 5

SP - 439

EP - 441

JO - Addiction Psychiatry

JF - Addiction Psychiatry

IS - 12

ER -