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Detection of stimulant drugs of abuse in maternal and neonatal hair

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Abstract

Exposure to drugs of abuse, particularly during pregnancy, is difficult to ascertain. Presently, there is sparse information on gestational exposure and fetal effects to potentially toxic drugs such as methamphetamine (MA) and cocaine; two of the most prevalent abused stimulants in North America. The Motherisk laboratory at the Hospital for Sick Children routinely carries out analysis of MA and cocaine in adult and infant hair. All mother–child pairs in whom at least one had cocaine and/or benzoylecgonine (BE), or MA detected in hair were identified from the Motherisk database. Eleven mother–infant pairs with positive hair for MA were identified. One infant (9%) had a negative MA result with a positive maternal result. There was not any positive infant hair with negative maternal hair for MA. MA concentrations in mothers and infants correlated positively and were not significantly different. Median cocaine concentrations were tenfold higher in hair of the mothers compared to the infants. Thirty-nine (40%) infants had negative cocaine and BE with positive maternal results. Mothers whose infants were cocaine positive had median cocaine significantly higher than those whose infants were negative. Infants’ cocaine in hair was positively correlated with maternal cocaine and BE. Infants’ BE correlated with maternal cocaine and BE concentrations. Fetal hair grows during the last trimester of pregnancy; therefore a positive neonatal hair result indicates maternal use after pregnancy is known, a strong indicator of maternal addiction. To our knowledge, this is the first report on fetal exposure to MA during pregnancy showing transplacental transfer of the drug, with accumulation in fetal hair. Transplacental exposure to cocaine of babies of addicted mothers is highly variable. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms leading to placental defense against cocaine.

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Acknowledgments

Supported by a Grant from the Canadian Institute for Health Research. GK holds the Research Leadership for Better Pharmacotherapy During Pregnancy and Lactation, Hospital for Sick Children, and the Ivey Chair in Molecular Toxicology, University of Western Ontario. FGB has received funding from the Clinician Scientist Training Program. This program is funded, fully or in part, by the Ontario Student Opportunity Trust Fund—Hospital for Sick Children Foundation Student Scholarship Program. The Ethics Review Board of the Hospital for Sick Children approved this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Motherisk Program, Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, 555 University Ave., 8th floor, Black Wing, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5G 1X8

    Facundo Garcia-Bournissen, Ben Rokach, Tatyana Karaskov, Joey Gareri & Gideon Koren

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  1. Facundo Garcia-Bournissen
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  2. Ben Rokach
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  3. Tatyana Karaskov
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  4. Joey Gareri
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  5. Gideon Koren
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Correspondence to Gideon Koren.

Additional information

The data were presented at the Hair Testing Meeting, Vadstena, Sweden, May 2006. We hereby state that we do not have a significant financial interest or other relationship with any product manufacturer or provider of services discussed in this article.

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Garcia-Bournissen, F., Rokach, B., Karaskov, T. et al. Detection of stimulant drugs of abuse in maternal and neonatal hair. Forens Sci Med Pathol 3, 115–118 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-007-0007-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-007-0007-4

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