Dried Blood Spot Analysis by Mass Spectrometry for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring
Dried blood spot (DBS) sampling enables decentralised therapeutic drug monitoring through simple finger-prick collection and ambient-temperature transport, with particular value in resource-limited settings. This review examines LC-MS/MS-based DBS assays developed over the past decade, highlighting how haematocrit variation and analyte-specific binding characteristics affect the accuracy of plasma concentration estimates. The authors detail the specific validation requirements unique to DBS methods that laboratories must address before clinical implementation.
The original study
Dried blood spots analysis with mass spectrometry: Potentials and pitfalls in therapeutic drug monitoring.
- Authors
- Antunes MV, Charão MF, Linden R
- Journal
- Clinical biochemistry
- Type
- Journal Article, Review
- PMID
- 27179588
Original abstract
Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) relays in the availability of specialized laboratory assays, usually available in reference centers that are not accessible to all patients. In this context, there is a growing interest in the use of dried blood spot (DBS) sampling, usually obtained from finger pricks, which allows simple and cost-effective logistics in many settings, particularly in Developing Countries. The use of DBS assays to estimate plasma concentrations is highly dependent on the hematocrit of the blood, as well as the particular characteristics of the measured analyte. DBS assays require specific validation assays, most of them are related to hematocrit effects. In the present manuscript, the application of mass spectrometric assays for determination of drugs for TDM purposes in the last ten years is reviewed, as well as the particular validation assays for new DBS methods.