Microsampling and LC-MS/MS for antidoping testing of glucocorticoids in urine
Protti et al.
The finding, in our words
Dried urine spot and volumetric absorptive microsampling methods were validated for quantifying six corticosteroids in 30 μl urine, showing good linearity, extraction yields exceeding 81 percent, and precision within 15 percent relative standard deviation. Analytes remained stable for seven days at room temperature, indicating urine microsampling is viable for remote antidoping control and could support decentralised steroid monitoring.
A paraphrase to the Library’s standard, never the abstract. The source is one link away and is always the authority.
A direct DUS-versus-VAMS comparison for 13 steroids on the same urine: VAMS gave better precision and recovery and superior one-year room-temperature stability.
The analysis indicates that dried blood spots and volumetric absorptive microsampling enable minimally invasive monitoring of prohibited substances, with volumetric absorptive microsampling offering improved quantitative reliability over traditional dried spots.
The authors found that a single microdose of recombinant EPO was detectable up to 72 hours using ITP and CP methods, though the Tasso microsampling device showed lower sensitivity than Mitra and Capitainer. Additionally, isotope ratio mass spectrometry successfully detected testosterone micro-dosing in all analysed samples, supported by serum testosterone levels.
Dried urine microsampling with volumetric absorptive microsampling and dried urine spot improved the stability of peptide hormones and growth factors during drying, storage and transport, enabling reliable LC-MS/MS quantitation for anti-doping testing.
This review highlights that microsampling techniques such as dried blood spots and volumetric absorptive microsampling offer superior alternatives to traditional sampling for the mass spectrometry detection of prohibited substances in anti-doping analysis. It provides guidance on selecting appropriate analytical methods and sample pretreatment strategies to ensure sensitive detection and reliable storage conditions.