Methadone is metabolized to a number of compounds, including EDDP. Testing for EDDP may be helpful in evaluating a patient receiving long-term methadone therapy, either for maintenance or for pain management.
EDDP is 2-ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine.
Testing urine for methadone and EDDP:
(1) Fast metabolizers of methadone may have EDDP without methadone in their urine. If only methadone is tested for then the person may be assumed not to be taking the methadone.
(2) The urine excretion of methadone is higher when the urine pH is low (more acidic).
(3) A urine with methadone but no EDDP may be seen in someone who is diverting methadone and spiking the urine, but there may be other explanations for this pattern. Hair testing may be worth considering when trying to troubleshoot the situation.
The street price for methadone may be higher than that of heroin. One concern of a healthcare provider prescribing methadone is that the patient may be selling the methadone and buying heroin instead. To avoid detection the patient puts a little methadone in a urine sample. This results in a urine test positive for methadone (often very high levels) but negative for EDDP.
To read more or access our algorithms and calculators, please log in or register.
