Method of monitoring patient compliance with medications prescriptions
First Claim
1. A method of monitoring compliance of a patient that has been placed on a medication maintenance program with a prescribed medication dosage, and with the method comprising the steps of(a) obtaining a sample of the patient'"'"'s urine,(b) measuring the concentration of the medication or its metabolites in the urine and the urine specific gravity,(c) calculating a normalized urine medication concentration as a function of the measured medication concentration in the urine and the urine specific gravity in accordance with the equation
where nu is the normalized urine medication concentration, u is the measured concentration of medication in the urine, SGF is the specific gravity factor of the urine sample, and k1 and k2 are constants, and(d) comparing the normalized urine medication concentration with an expected medication concentration value for the patient for the maintenance program prescribed to determine any significant differences therebetween as an indication of noncompliance.
(k.sub.1 ·
SGF-k.sub.2)
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Abstract
A method of monitoring compliance of a patient that has been placed on a medication maintenance program with a prescribed medication dosage by determining a normalized urine methadone concentration. An unadulterated urine sample is obtained from the patient. The urine methadone concentration and urine specific gravity are measured. The normalized urine medication concentration is calculated as a function of the measured medication concentration in the urine and the urine specific gravity. The calculated normalized urine medication concentration is compared with an expected medication concentration value for the patient for the maintenance program prescribed to determine any significant differences therebetween as an indication of noncompliance.
Alternatively, a urinary-parameter normalized urine medication concentration is calculated as a function of the measured medication concentration in the urine, the urine specific gravity and at least one selected pharmacokinetic parameter of the medication. The calculated urinary-parameter normalized urine medication concentration is compared with an expected medication concentration value for an average compliant patient for the maintenance program prescribed to determine any significant differences therebetween as an indication of noncompliance.
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Citations
3 Claims
- 1. A method of monitoring compliance of a patient that has been placed on a medication maintenance program with a prescribed medication dosage, and with the method comprising the steps of
(a) obtaining a sample of the patient'"'"'s urine, (b) measuring the concentration of the medication or its metabolites in the urine and the urine specific gravity, (c) calculating a normalized urine medication concentration as a function of the measured medication concentration in the urine and the urine specific gravity in accordance with the equation - space="preserve" listing-type="equation">un=u·
(k.sub.1 ·
SGF-k.sub.2)
where nu is the normalized urine medication concentration, u is the measured concentration of medication in the urine, SGF is the specific gravity factor of the urine sample, and k1 and k2 are constants, and (d) comparing the normalized urine medication concentration with an expected medication concentration value for the patient for the maintenance program prescribed to determine any significant differences therebetween as an indication of noncompliance. - space="preserve" listing-type="equation">un=u·
- 2. A method of monitoring compliance of a patient that has been placed on a methadone maintenance program with a prescribed methadone dosage, and with the method comprising the steps of
(a) obtaining a sample of the patient'"'"'s urine, (b) measuring the concentration of methadone in the urine, the specific gravity of the urine and the pharmacokinetic parameters of the medication including methadone dose, patient body weight, and urine pH, (c) calculating a urinary-parameter normalized urine methadone concentration as a function of the measured methadone concentration in the urine, the urine specific gravity, the methadone dose, patient body weight, and urine pH, in accordance with the equation - space="preserve" listing-type="equation">nu.sub.p =(k.sub.3 /DOSE).sup.k4 ·
(k.sub.5 /pH).sup.-k6 ·
WGT/k.sub.7 ·
u·
(k.sub.1 ·
SGF-k.sub.2)
where nup is the urinary-parameter normalized urine methadone concentration, DOSE is the prescribed methadone dose, pH is the pH of the urine sample, WGT is the patient body weight, SGF is the specific gravity factor of the urine sample, u is the measured concentration of methadone in the urine sample, and k1 -k7 are constants, and (d) comparing the urinary-parameter normalized urine methadone concentration with an expected methadone concentration value for an average compliant patient for the maintenance program prescribed to determine any significant differences therebetween as an indication of noncompliance. - space="preserve" listing-type="equation">nu.sub.p =(k.sub.3 /DOSE).sup.k4 ·
- 3. A method of monitoring compliance of a patient that has been placed on a methadone maintenance program which comprises the steps of
(a) obtaining a sample of the patient'"'"'s urine, (b) measuring the concentration of methadone, the specific gravity and the pH value of the urine sample, (c) calculating the concentration of methadone of the plasma as a function of the measured concentration of methadone of the urine, urine specific gravity and urine pH in accordance with the equation - space="preserve" listing-type="equation">p=k.sub.3 u·
(k.sub.1 SGF-k.sub.2)/k.sub.4 ·
pH.sup.k5
where p is the calculated plasma methadone concentration, u is the measured urine methadone concentration, SGF is the specific gravity factor of the patient'"'"'s urine, pH is the measured pH value of the urine, and k1, k2, k3, k4, and k5 are constants, and (d) comparing the calculated concentration of methadone of the plasma with an expected value for the maintenance program prescribed. - space="preserve" listing-type="equation">p=k.sub.3 u·
Specification
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- Resources
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Current AssigneeUD Testing Incorporated (U.D. Testing)
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Original AssigneePrivate Clinic Laboratories, Inc.
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InventorsKell, Michael
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Primary Examiner(s)ALEXANDER, LYLE
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Application NumberUS08/248,102Time in Patent Office819 DaysField of Search436/63, 436/111, 436/808, 436/901, 436/171US Class Current436/111CPC Class CodesG01N 33/493 urineY10S 436/808 Automated or kitY10S 436/901 Drugs of abuse, e.g. narcot...Y10T 436/173845 Amine and quaternary ammonium
