Opiate recidivism in a drug-treatment program: comparison of hair and urine data

Abstract I The objective of this preliminary study was to determine whether hair can be used as an adjunct specimen for the monitoring of opiate use in a drug-treatment program. Subjects (n = 10) initiating clinical therapy for opiate addiction were monitored for up Io 17 weeks with hair and urinalysis. Questionnaires were administered weekly to document hair cuts and chemical treatments. Hair specimens were collected weekly by cutting at the scalp and segmented into 1-cm lengths prior to analysis. Codeine (COD), morphine (MOR), and 6-monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM) concentrations in hair were measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) [limit of detection (LOD): 20 pg/mg for COD and 6-MAM; 50 pg/mg MOR]. Urine specimens were analyzed by semiquantitative radioimmunoassay (25-ng/mL cutoff) and LC-MS for codeine (COD), morphine (MOR), morphine-31~-glucuronide (M3G), morphine-613-glucuronide (M6G), and 6-monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM). The LOD and limit of quantitation (LOQ) in urine for COD, M3G