A Comparison of Turnaround-Times for Two Popular Specimen Types Used for Newborn Toxicology: Meconium and Umbilical Cord Tissue

作     者：Joseph T. Jones Donna J. Coy Mary R. Jones Joseph T. Jones;Donna J. Coy;Mary R. Jones

作者机构：United States Drug Testing Laboratories Des Plaines Illinois USA 

出 版 物：《Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology》 (妇产科期刊（英文）)

年 卷 期：2024年第14卷第10期

页      面：1541-1547页

学科分类：1002[医学-临床医学] 100211[医学-妇产科学] 10[医学] 

主　　题：Newborn Toxicology Prenatal Substance Exposure Turnaround Time 

摘      要：Background: Prenatal exposure to illicit substances is responsible for several long-term negative health consequences. It is critical for healthcare professionals to know the extent and scope of prenatal substance exposure in their cases. Several studies exist with mixed results comparing the effectiveness of umbilical cord tissue (UCT) and meconium (MEC) as toxicology specimen types. The specific aim of this study is to compare the use of UCT and MEC regarding the time interval between the birth of the neonate, receipt of the specimen at the laboratory, and the hospital’s receipt of the final toxicology report. Method: The study queried de-identified results of 5358 consecutive UCT and 706 MEC from our laboratory. Results: The mean time from birth to receipt of the specimen at the laboratory for MEC and UCT was 4.5 days ± 2.9 days and 2.8 days ± 1.9 days, respectively. The mean time from birth to final report for MEC was 6.9 days ± 3.8 days, 5.7 days ± 3.3 days, and 8.4 days ± 3.8 days for all MEC specimens, negative MEC, and positive MEC, respectively. The mean time from birth to final report for UCT was 4.3 days ± 2.4 days, 3.5 days ± 2.2 days, and 5.4 days ± 2.2 days for all UCT, negative UCT and positive UCT, respectively. Discussion/Conclusion: Receipt of drug test results of the neonate prior to release from the hospital is critical. This study shows that UCT offers an advantage when results are needed quickly to make informed decisions about the health and well-being of newborns.