Precision through electric-field assisted automatable high throughput sample preparation of dried blood spots for neonatal abstinence syndrome detection

Abstract

In the United States, approximately 20 % of pregnant women disclose opioid misuse, contributing significantly to the widespread occurrence of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) in neonates exposed to opioids during gestation. Current NAS diagnosis heavily relies on clinical observation of symptoms, with the Finnegan Neonatal Abstinence Scoring System (FNASS) serving as the gold standard due to challenges associated with obtaining biological specimens from newborns. This methodological constraint poses difficulties in achieving accurate quantitative assessments and implementing timely therapeutic interventions. This study introduces a pioneering approach employing a cylindrical electrode-equipped device designed for the extraction of opioids from minute Dried Blood Spot (DBS) samples, thus optimizing the diagnostic pathway for NAS. The methodology integrates Liquid Chromatography tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for precise quantification of five distinct opioids. By demonstrating the efficacy of DBS microsamples as a robust quantitative diagnostic medium, this research highlights its potential to expedite NAS detection in infants. The innovative methodology promises superior diagnostic precision and accelerated processing times compared to current protocols, thereby addressing existing NAS diagnostic limitations and advancing maternal and infant healthcare practices.