L'attività del Laboratorio di Tossicologia forense dell'Istituto di Medicina Legale di Parma ai sensi de T.U. 309/1990 (1° agosto 1990 - 31 luglio 1993)

Gli Autori espongono i risultati dell'attività svolta dal laboratorio di Tossicologia forense dell'Istituto di Medicina Legale di Parma, ai sensi del T.U. 309/1990, nel triennio 1° Agosto 1990-31 Luglio 1993. Sono stati elaborati i dati relativi alla quantità di stupefacente sequestrato nelle province di Parma, Piacenza e Mantova con particolare attenzione alla percentuale media di principio attivo delle sostanze considerate, alla loro provenienza e all'età dei soggetti segnalati

Drugs-of-abuse testing in urine: Statistical approach and experimental comparison of immunochemical and chromatographic techniques

This study deals with the experimental and statistical comparison of six immunochemical techniques, including noninstrumental on-site and instrumental formats (EIA-EMIT and EZ-SCREEN; FPIA-ADx; RIA-Coat-A-Count; LI-Abuscreen ONTRAK; CBI-Triage), and three chromatographic techniques (TLC-Toxi-Lab; HPLC; HPLC-REMEDi drug profiling system), using GC-MS as a reference technique for analyzing amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cannabinoids, cocaine, methadone, and opiates in the urine of various kinds of drug users. The study reports (a) the values of sensitivity, specificity, false-positive rates, and false-negative rates of each technique; (b) the results of bayesian statistical analysis, which are based on prevalence values of the samples examined and expressed as positive and negative predictive values and cumulative predictive values for each single technique and for combinations of paired immunochemical and chromatographic techniques; and (c) the results of a rough classification of the various degrees of predictability of these techniques. Lastly, this study proposes a decision- making process for establishing the best combination of analytical techniques for the goals in question, according to the characteristics and facilities of each laboratory