Drug Monitoring, Gabapentin, Quantitative, Urine
Also known as: Pain Management, Prescription Drug Monitoring
Use
Gabapentin is used as an anticonvulsant in the management of neuropathic pain in adults and as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of partial seizures in patients with epilepsy. Therapeutic urine drug monitoring of gabapentin is important for ensuring compliance to treatment strategies. Quantitative values cannot be used to assess drug dose because the drug is extensively metabolized and excreted in urine. Serum or plasma may be used only for anuric patients or when urine results don’t align with prescribed medications. No single monitoring approach provides adequate information about drug use patterns; combination with other tools is recommended.
Special Instructions
If ordering with medMATCH®, the code 39158 (Prescribed Drugs, medMATCH®) must also be ordered; otherwise medMATCH result codes will be DNR’d. Performing laboratory is Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute.
Limitations
Quantitative urine values cannot be used to assess drug dose due to extensive metabolism and excretion of gabapentin. No single monitoring approach is sufficient to assess drug use patterns. Use of serum/plasma should be limited to anuric patients or when clinical appearance does not match prescription.
Methodology
Mass Spectrometry
Biomarkers
Result Turnaround Time
3 days
Related Documents
For more information, please review the documents below
Specimen
Urine
Volume
3 mL preferred; minimum 2 mL
Minimum Volume
2 mL
Container
Clinical drug test transport vial or urine collection container
Causes for Rejection
Preserved samples
Stability Requirements
| Temperature | Period |
|---|---|
| Room Temperature | 14 days |
| Refrigerated | 14 days |
| Frozen | 30 days |