Abstract

Detection of glucocorticoids in doping control samples still shows serious problems in most of the cases. Its urinary concentrations are too low because they have a medium life time in urine and very short in plasma when a single dose is administrated. However, they generally show its effects on the human body for a long period of time. Another problem that presents its detection is the necessity to determine the administration route to take a decision of a doping offence. The aim of this paper was to study the differences that can be observed with intramuscular administration (illegal, TUE required) and peritendinous administration (permitted with Abreviated TUE) of cortisol (hydrocortisone). Population-based reference ranges can be used as indirect markers in order to detect hydrocortisone consumption. Some differences between these administration routes were found. Urinary concentration of llß-hydroxy-etiocholanolone for p.t. administration was higher to i.m. administration. On the contrary, i.m. administration shows a superior increment to p.t. administration for tetrahydrocortisol, even though both exceeding 95% percentile compare with a population-based reference range. Excretion profile of proposed hydroxyl-metabolites of cortisol, tetrahydrocortisol, cortisone and tetrahydrocortisone were described. Main variations were found for urinary concentrations of hydroxy-metabolites of cortisol and tetrahydrocortisol. They keep higher urinary concentration for i.m. administration on a period of time longer than for p.t. administration. Aus dem Text (geändert)