Amphetamine and its analogues determination in urine from patients hospitalized in the Department of Toxicology Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum in Krakow.
The most popular stimulant drugs in Poland are amphetamine and its analogues ecstasy (MDMA) and methamphetamine (MA). The substances are usually determined by immunoassays (EMIT, FPIA, Rapid Tests) in medical, toxicological laboratories. The methods are not useful for identification of the substances. Chromatography methods are reference, confirmation methods that identify stimulant drugs in biological samples. The aim of the study was investigation of kinds of amphetamine derivatives abused by poisoned patients treated in the Clinic of Toxicology of the Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum in Krakow. Materials for the study were urine samples collected from 46 patients. All the samples were positive for amphetamine presence by EMIT (cut off 300nn mL). Amphetamine analogues were identified by high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD). Amphetamine alone was present in 54.3% samples amphetamine and its analogues (MDMA, MDA, MA) were present in 26.0% MDA and MDMA (no amphetamine) were present in 19.5% samples. In one case no amphetamine neither its analogues were detected in the sample. The positive amphetamine EMIT result was caused by fenfluramine--the substance present in slimming product. the most often determined stimulant drug in the group of poisoned patients was amphetamine. The frequency of MDMA and MA intoxications were occasional and with probably increase. Immunoassay tests are useful for routine analysis in clinic laboratories but in some cases when the history is unreliable, confirmation analysis by reference method should be performed to identify the abused substance.