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Detection window of Darbepoetin-alpha following one single subcutaneous injection
Séverine Lamon1, Neil Robinson, Patrice Mangin
1Laboratoire Suisse d'Analyse du Dopage, Institut Universitaire de Médecine Légale, Ch. des Croisettes 22, 1066 Epalinges, Switzerland.
Insights
The detection window for Darbepoietin-alpha in urine is approximately 7 days, twice as long as for recombinant erythropoietin-beta (rHuEPO-beta). This extended detection period presents challenges for anti-doping efforts in sports.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Anti-Doping
- Pharmacology
Background:
- The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) uses a direct recombinant erythropoietin (rHuEPO) detection test.
- This study investigates the detection window of Darbepoietin-alpha using established WADA criteria.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the detection window of Darbepoietin-alpha in urine.
- To compare its detection window with rHuEPO-beta.
Main Methods:
- Utilized 1D isoelectric focusing (IEF) of urinary proteins.
- Applied WADA's official positivity criteria for rHuEPO detection.
Main Results:
- Darbepoietin-alpha exhibits a detection window of approximately 7 days after a single subcutaneous injection.
- This is roughly double the detection window observed for rHuEPO-beta.
- Individual detection windows vary due to differences in endogenous EPO production rates.
Conclusions:
- Darbepoietin-alpha possesses a significantly longer urinary detection window compared to other available EPOs.
- This extended window poses a challenge for illicit use in sports.
- Current WADA positivity criteria may require future adjustments based on further research.
Background:
The current official direct recombinant erythropoietin (rHuEPO) detection anti-doping test based on 1D isoelectric focusing (IEF) of urinary proteins was performed to determine the detection window of Darbepoietin-alpha when applying the positivity criteria established by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Results:
Following WADA's positivity criteria, the IEF based urinary EPO test enabled to determine that the detection window after a single subcutaneous injection of Darbepoietin-alpha (40 microg of ARANESP injected) is close to 7 days, that is to say approximately two times more than for rHuEPO-beta (4000 IU of Recormon injected). The detection window can be different from one subject to another, because the actual positivity criteria take into consideration in someway the endogenous EPO production rate which differs enormously from one subject to another. That means, all subjects with a naturally elevated or stimulated EPO production rate (altitude training, hypoxic tent,...) have a reduced detection window for bone marrow stimulators such as Darbepoietin-alpha.
Conclusion:
Darbepoietin-alpha has a much longer detection window in urine than any other available EPOs, which is a major disadvantage for illegal use in sports. The positivity criteria used up to now by all anti-doping laboratories are very conservative. Furthermore all athletes tested for rHuEPO are not equal regarding the actual test. For that reason, the criteria could be slightly adapted in the future, but further experiments are needed.
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