Tracking immature reticulocyte proteins for improved detection of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) abuse.

Athletes abuse recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) and erythropoiesis stimulating agents to increase hemoglobin mass and improve performance. To evade detection, athletes have developed sophisticated blood doping regimens, which often include rhEPO micro-dosing. Detection of these methods requires biomarkers with increased sensitivity and a sample matrix that is more amenable to frequent testing in the field.

Measurement of Immature Reticulocytes in Dried Blood Spots by Mass Spectrometry.

Background: Immature reticulocytes (IRC) are the first cells to respond to changes in erythropoiesis. For antidoping applications, measurement of IRC may improve detection of blood doping practices. Unfortunately, this small cell population has limited stability in liquid blood samples and is difficult to measure with optimal precision.

Investigating oral fluid and exhaled breath as alternative matrices for anti-doping testing: Analysis of 521 matched samples.

Current anti-doping testing is primarily conducted in urine and blood. Recently, due to confounding factors with urine and blood collections such as invasiveness, cost, and stringent shipping conditions, there has been a push for the use of alternative sample matrices to ameliorate these issues. Gaining support within the anti-doping field is the use of oral fluid, and more recently exhaled breath, as viable alternative or complementary matrices to traditional urine and blood for drug testing.