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HelpTest ID: BUPS Buprenorphine Screen, Random, Urine
Useful For
Screening for drug abuse or use of buprenorphine
Reporting Name
Buprenorphine Screen, USpecimen Type
UrineOrdering Guidance
For screening with reflex confirmation of positive screening results, order BUPR / Buprenorphine Screen with Reflex, Random, Urine.
For comprehensive opioid screening, order TOSU / Targeted Opioid Screen, Random, Urine.
For situations where chain of custody is required, a Chain of Custody Kit (T282) is available. For chain-of-custody testing, order BUPMX / Buprenorphine and Norbuprenorphine, Chain of Custody, Random, Urine.
Additional Testing Requirements
If urine creatinine is required or adulteration of the sample is suspected, the following test should also be ordered, ADULT / Adulterants Survey, Random, Urine.
Specimen Required
Supplies: Sarstedt Aliquot Tube, 5 mL (T914)
Collection Container/Tube: Plastic urine container
Submission Container/Tube: Plastic vial
Specimen Volume: 5 mL
Collection Instructions:
1. Collect a random urine specimen.
2. Submit 5 mL in 1 plastic vial.
3. No preservative.
Additional Information:
1. No specimen substitutions.
2. STAT requests are not accepted for this test.
3. Submitting less than 5 mL will compromise the ability to perform all necessary testing.
Specimen Minimum Volume
2.5 mL
Specimen Stability Information
| Specimen Type | Temperature | Time | Special Container |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urine | Refrigerated (preferred) | 14 days | |
| Frozen | 14 days | ||
| Ambient | 72 hours |
Clinical Information
Clinically, buprenorphine is utilized as a substitution therapy for opioid dependence and as an analgesic. Buprenorphine is a partial agonist of the mu-opioid receptor. These mu binding sites are discretely distributed in the human brain, spinal cord, and other tissue. The clinical effects of mu receptor agonists are sedation, euphoria, respiratory depression, and analgesia. As a partial mu receptor agonist, buprenorphine's clinical effects are decreased, giving buprenorphine a wider safety margin.(1) Buprenorphine has a prolonged duration of activity. The combination of decreased clinical effects and prolonged activity gives buprenorphine the added advantage of a delayed and decreased withdrawal syndrome, compared to other opioids.(1) Compared to morphine, buprenorphine is 25 to 40 times more potent.(1) As with any opioid, abuse is always a concern. To reduce illicit use of buprenorphine, it is available mixed with naloxone in a ratio of 4:1. When the combination is taken as prescribed, only small amounts of naloxone will be absorbed. However, if the combination is transformed into the injectable form, naloxone then acts as an opioid receptor antagonist.
Buprenorphine is metabolized through N-dealkylation to norbuprenorphine through cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP 3A4). Both parent and metabolite then undergo glucuronidation. Norbuprenorphine is an active metabolite possessing one fifth of the potency of its parent. The glucuronide metabolites are inactive.(1)
This procedure uses immunoassay reagents that are designed to produce a negative result when no drugs are present in a natural (ie, unadulterated) specimen of urine; the assay is designed to have a high true-negative rate. Like all immunoassays, it can produce a false-positive result due to cross-reactivity with natural chemicals and drugs other than those they were designed to detect. The immunoassay also can produce a false-negative result due to the antibody's ability to cross-react with different drugs in the target class.
Reference Values
Negative
Screening cutoff concentration:
Buprenorphine: 5 ng/mL
Interpretation
This assay only provides a preliminary analytical test result. A more specific alternative method (ie, liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry) must be used to obtain a confirmed analytical result.
Clinical Reference
1. Elkader A, Spuroule B. Buprenorphine clinical pharmacokinetics in the treatment of opioid dependence. Clin Pharmacokinet 2005;44(7):661-680
2. Jannetto PJ, Bratanow NC, Clark WA, et al. Executive summary: American association of clinical chemistry laboratory medicine practice guideline-using clinical laboratory tests to monitor drug therapy in pain management patients. J Appl Lab Med. 2018;2(4):489-526. doi:10.1373/jalm.2017.023341
3. Langman LJ, Bechtel LK, Holstege CP. Clinical toxicology. In: Rifai N, Chiu RWK, Young I, Burnham CAD, Wittwer CT, eds Tietz Textbook of Laboratory Medicine. 7th ed. Elsevier; 2023:chap 43
Day(s) Performed
Monday through Saturday
Report Available
Same day/1 to 2 daysTest Classification
This test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements. It has not been cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.CPT Code Information
80307
LOINC Code Information
| Test ID | Test Order Name | Order LOINC Value |
|---|---|---|
| BUPS | Buprenorphine Screen, U | 93494-3 |
| Result ID | Test Result Name | Result LOINC Value |
|---|---|---|
| 63119 | Buprenorphine Screen, U | 93494-3 |
Method Name
Immunoassay
Forms
If not ordering electronically, complete, print, and send a Therapeutics Test Request (T831) with the specimen.
mml-buprenorphine, mml-substancemonitoring, mml-opioids