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An Analysis of the Duration of Fentanyl and Its Metabolites in Urine and Saliva
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1993
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FentanylPharmacotherapyPharmacological StudyDrug TestToxicologyClinical ChemistryHealth SciencesFentanyl AbuseMetabolomicsPharmacologySubstance AbuseUrologyUrinary NorfentanylPhysiologyForensic ToxicologyOpioid OverdoseAnesthesiaMedicinePharmacokineticsAnesthesiologyDrug Analysis
The study aimed to evaluate whether fentanyl metabolites could aid in detecting and monitoring substance abuse. Researchers measured fentanyl, norfentanyl, and despropionylfentanyl in urine and saliva from seven female patients given small fentanyl doses, extracting and analyzing samples by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry over 96 h. Unchanged fentanyl was detectable in urine only immediately post‑op and in 3/7 patients at 24 h, disappearing by 72 h, while norfentanyl appeared in larger amounts, present in all patients at 48 h and 4/7 at 96 h; despropionylfentanyl was never detected, and neither fentanyl nor its metabolites were consistently found in saliva, indicating saliva testing is not viable and urinary norfentanyl is the preferred marker for fentanyl abuse.
This study was undertaken to determine if metabolites of fentanyl might be useful in the detection and monitoring of substance abuse. The presence of fentanyl and two of its metabolites in the urine and saliva of seven female patients receiving small doses (110 +/- 56 micrograms) of fentanyl was studied up to 96 h from the time of administration. Fentanyl and its two metabolites (norfentanyl and despropionylfentanyl) were extracted from samples and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Unchanged fentanyl was detectable in urine in all patients immediately postoperatively and in 3 of 7 patients at 24 h. By 72 h, fentanyl was undetectable. Norfentanyl was present in larger quantities than fentanyl immediately postoperatively and was detected in all patients at 48 h and in 4 of 7 patients at 96 h. Despropionylfentanyl was not detected in any of the urine specimens tested. Neither fentanyl nor its metabolites could be detected consistently at any time in saliva. Saliva testing does not appear to be a viable alternative to urine testing based on this study. Urinary norfentanyl might be considered as the substance of choice when testing for fentanyl abuse.