Graciela Gema Pasa

Reliability of point-of-collection testing devices for drugs of abuse in oral fluid: A systematic review and meta-analysis

&NA; Point‐of‐collection testing (POCT) devices for drugs of abuse are used to screen for the presence of psychoactive substances (PAS) in different types of settings and environments. However, these quick and advantageous tools also present disadvantages, including low‐reliability measures in comparison to chromatographic assays. Therefore, this article presents a systematic review and meta‐analysis of studies evaluating the reliability of measurements of PAS detection in oral fluid using POCT devices. The reliability measures for detection of the five most important drug classes – cocaine, amphetamines, benzodiazepines, cannabinoids and opioids, are reported. The article also presents a subgroup analysis considering the reliability estimates for the different POCT devices that were evaluated by the studies contemplated in the review. A discussion considering the strengths and limitations of POCT techniques was performed in order to guide policymakers, traffic agents and other professionals who also conduct such tests. The use of POCT devices often involves legal and moral aspects of the subjects tested, which demands critical evaluation of these devices before they are implemented in different settings.

Detection of ethanol in Brazilian gasoline station attendants

In Brazil, gasoline station attendants are regularly exposed to the ethanol contained in fuel, as well as the one used as the gasoline additive. This study aimed to assess the potential exposure of these workers to fuels, using breathalyzers and oral fluid (OF) analysis by headspace gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (HS-GC/MS). Attendants of 26 gasoline stations were invited to respond to a questionnaire covering the main features of the study population and the profile of drinking and driving behavior, followed by a breath test and OF collection with a Quantisal™ device. All OF samples were analyzed by HS-GC/MS. Ethanol was found in 100% of the OF samples whereas 72.83% had concentrations above the quantification limit of the method (0.00125 g dL−1). Regarding the breath tests, only one exhaled air sample (0.62%) showed a positive result (0.03 mg L−1). The positive results in OF samples and negative results in exhaled air may be explained by the higher sensitivity of OF analysis by HS-GC/MS, when compared to the breathalyzer.