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Test Code ETGS Ethyl Glucuronide Screen, Random, Urine

Useful For

Screening for drug abuse involving alcohol

Reporting Name

Ethyl Glucuronide Screen, U

Specimen Type

Urine


Ordering Guidance


For situations where chain of custody is required, a Chain of Custody Kit (T282) is available. For chain-of-custody testing, order ETGX / Ethyl Glucuronide Confirmation, Chain of Custody, Random, Urine.



Specimen Required


Supplies: Sarstedt Aliquot Tube, 5 mL (T914)

Collection Container/Tube: Plastic urine container

Submission Container/Tube: Plastic, 5 mL tube

Specimen Volume: 2 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. Collect a random urine specimen.

2. No preservative.


Specimen Minimum Volume

0.5 mL

Specimen Stability Information

Specimen Type Temperature Time Special Container
Urine Refrigerated (preferred) 28 days
  Frozen  28 days
  Ambient  72 hours

Reject Due To

  All specimens will be evaluated at Mayo Clinic Laboratories for test suitability.

Clinical Information

Ethyl glucuronide is a direct metabolite of ethanol that is formed by enzymatic conjugation of ethanol with glucuronic acid. Alcohol in urine is normally detected for only a few hours, whereas ethyl glucuronide can be detected in the urine for 1 to 3 days.

 

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 have false-positives due to cross-reactivity with natural chemicals and drugs other than those they were designed to detect. The immunoassay can also have false negatives due to the antibody's ability to cross-react with different drugs in the class being screened for.

Reference Values

Negative

Screening cutoff concentration: 500 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. A positive result using the ethyl glucuronide screen indicates only the potential presence of ethyl glucuronide and does not necessarily correlate with the extent of physiological and psychological effects.

Day(s) Performed

Monday through Saturday

Report Available

Same day/1 to 2 days

Specimen Retention Time

14 days

Performing Laboratory

Mayo Clinic Laboratories in Rochester

Test 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
ETGS Ethyl Glucuronide Screen, U 58375-7

 

Result ID Test Result Name Result LOINC Value
63420 Ethyl Glucuronide Screen, U 58375-7

Method Name

Immunoassay

Forms

If not ordering electronically, complete, print, and send a Therapeutics Test Request (T831) with the specimen.