Comparison of the analysis of corticosteroids using different techniques

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Biochemistry
• Forensic Science

Background:

• Corticosteroids are crucial endogenous hormones and widely used synthetic drugs.
• Accurate detection of corticosteroids is vital for clinical diagnostics and anti-doping efforts.
• Existing analytical methods may lack the sensitivity or scope for comprehensive corticosteroid profiling.

Purpose of the Study:

• To optimize and validate analytical methods for the simultaneous determination of 18 human corticosteroids.
• To evaluate the performance of ELISA, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) for corticosteroid analysis.
• To assess the suitability of these techniques for detecting corticosteroids in small urine sample volumes for doping tests.

Main Methods:

• Development and optimization of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
• Optimization of gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) protocols.
• Optimization of liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) protocols.
• Streamlined sample preparation methods for extraction from minimal urine volumes (several mL).

Main Results:

• Successful optimization of three distinct analytical techniques: ELISA, GC-MS, and LC-MS.
• Validated sample preparation procedures allowing for efficient extraction of target corticosteroids.
• Demonstrated the capability to analyze a panel of 18 endogenous and synthetic corticosteroids.
• Assessed the sensitivity and applicability of each method for doping control.

Conclusions:

• The developed ELISA, GC-MS, and LC-MS methods provide sensitive and reliable means for analyzing a broad range of corticosteroids.
• Optimized sample preparation enables efficient analysis from small urine volumes, crucial for doping control.
• These validated techniques are suitable for application in anti-doping laboratories for detecting prohibited corticosteroid use.