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Home / Equine Research Bank / Drug Test Anal / Measurements of hydrocortisone and cortisone for longitudina...
Drug testing and analysis2022; 14(5); 943-952; doi: 10.1002/dta.3244

Measurements of hydrocortisone and cortisone for longitudinal profiling of equine plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Abstract: The conventional detection of exogenous drugs in equine doping samples has been used for confirmation and subsequent prosecution of participants responsible. In recent years, alternative methods using indirect detection have been investigated due to the expanding number of pharmaceutical agents available with the potential of misuse. The monitoring of endogenous biomarkers such as hydrocortisone (HC) has been studied in equine urine with an international threshold of 1 μg/ml established; however, there is no current threshold for equine plasma. The aim of this research was to investigate plasma concentrations of HC and cortisone (C) in race day samples compared to an administration of Triamcinolone Acetonide (TACA). The reference population (n = 1150) provided HC (6 to 145 ng/ml) and C (0.7 to 13 ng/ml) levels to derive the HC to C ratio (HC/C). Population reference limits (PRLs) were proposed for HC/C values at 0.2 (lower) and 61 (upper). Administration of TACA resulted in down-regulation of HC/C values below the estimated PRLs for up to 96 h post-administration. This indirect detection period was longer than the detection of TACA for 72 h. The use of individual reference limits (IRLs) for HC/C values was investigated to support the Equine Biological Passport (EBP), an intelligence model developed by Racing NSW for longitudinal monitoring of biomarkers.
© 2022 The Authors. Drug Testing and Analysis published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2022-03-04 PubMed ID: 35195373PubMed Central: PMC9545025DOI: 10.1002/dta.3244Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research explores the use of hydrocortisone and cortisone levels in horse plasma to detect doping. This method offers a longer detection window and could support the use of the Equine Biological Passport, a tool for monitoring horses over time.

Objective of the Study

  • Across the world, the sport of horse racing is plagued with concerns related to the misuse of drugs, enhancing performance, and circumventing established regulations. The objective of this study was to explore an alternative method for detecting such doping practices. Instead of directly tracking the presence of drugs, this method focuses on monitoring changes in naturally occurring substances, specifically hydrocortisone (HC) and cortisone (C), in horse plasma.

Methodology

  • The study used a large reference sample of 1150 horses and established baseline HC and C levels in their plasma. The researchers then determined a ratio between the levels of HC and C, which varied between 0.2 and 61 in the population. Following this, the research focused on the effects of administering a specific drug, Triamcinolone Acetonide (TACA), on this established HC/C ratio.

Results

  • The administration of TACA resulted in the ratio dropping below the established baseline levels and staying there for up to 96 hours. Interestingly, this method allows for a longer detection window than directly searching for TACA, which remains detectable for only 72 hours. These findings suggest that monitoring HC/C levels could provide a valuable tool for detecting drug use in horses, complementing existing approaches.

Implications

  • If implemented, this method could provide more reliable and effective doping control in the equine sport by allowing for longer detection periods. It also carries implications for the Equine Biological Passport (EBP). The EBP is a project developed by Racing NSW to monitor biomarkers in horses over time to enhance the integrity of the sport and safeguard the welfare of the horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Tou K, Cawley A, Bowen C, Sornalingam K, Fu S. (2022). Measurements of hydrocortisone and cortisone for longitudinal profiling of equine plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Drug Test Anal, 14(5), 943-952. https://doi.org/10.1002/dta.3244

Publication

Drug testing and analysis
ISSN: 1942-7611
NlmUniqueID: 101483449
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 14
Issue: 5
Pages: 943-952

Researcher Affiliations

Tou, Kathy
  • Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, New South Wales, Australia.
Cawley, Adam
  • Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory, Racing NSW, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Bowen, Christopher
  • Mass Spectrometry Business Unit, Shimadzu Scientific Instruments (Australasia), Rydalmere, New South Wales, Australia.
Sornalingam, Kireesan
  • Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory, Racing NSW, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Fu, Shanlin
  • Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, New South Wales, Australia.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Biomarkers
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / methods
  • Chromatography, Liquid
  • Cortisone
  • Doping in Sports
  • Horses
  • Humans
  • Hydrocortisone
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry / methods

Grant Funding

  • Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship

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Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.
  1. Shi Z, Yang S, Ma Z, Wang Z, Li Z, Wang L, Švorc Ľ, Zhu Z. An electrochemical aptasensor for hydrocortisone detection using V-PMOF-derived porous nanomaterials from V(2)CT(x) precursors. Mikrochim Acta 2025 Sep 11;192(10):657.
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  2. Tou K, Cawley A, Noble G, Loy J, Bishop D, Keledjian J, Sornalingam K, Richards S, Fu S. Lipid and Corticosteroid Biomarkers Under the Influence of Bisphosphonates. Drug Test Anal 2025 Jul;17(7):1107-1117.
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  3. Ishii H, Shigematsu R, Takemoto S, Ishikawa Y, Mizobe F, Nomura M, Arima D, Kunii H, Yuasa R, Yamanaka T, Tanabe S, Nagata SI, Yamada M, Leung GN. Quantification of osilodrostat in horse urine using LC/ESI-HRMS to establish an elimination profile for doping control. Bioanalysis 2024;16(17-18):947-958.
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