Quantitative approach to glucocorticosteroids analysis in human urine using LC-MS/MS

Abstract

Glucocorticosteroids are included in the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list as non-threshold analytes. Nevertheless, at least semi-quantitative approaches are necessary before reporting an adverse analytical finding for this class of substances. The liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS) has been used with excellent selectivity and specificity in xenobiotic analysis in complex matrices. Real samples containing exogenous glucocorticosteroids from different administration routes were analyzed using the method proposed. Samples from systemic administration (oral route) presented levels of prednisolone or prednisone higher than 30 ng mL-1, the minimum requirement performance level used as diagnostic parameter. On the other hand, non-systemic routes seem to not have bioavailability to generate an adverse case in doping control analysis. Considering the low number of similar studies available in the literature, more urinary studies could be done using the method reported aiming to provide more information about the excretion profile of glucocorticosteroids administered by systemic and non-systemic routes.