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Research Article

A multidrug LC–MS/MS method for the determination of five immunosuppressants in oral fluid

    Lucía Paniagua-González

    Servizo de Toxicoloxía, Instituto de Ciencias Forenses, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Rúa San Francisco, s/n, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    ,
    Elena Lendoiro

    Servizo de Toxicoloxía, Instituto de Ciencias Forenses, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Rúa San Francisco, s/n, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    ,
    Esteban Otero-Antón

    Unidade de Transplante Abdominal, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Rúa da Choupana, s/n, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    ,
    Esther Molina-Pérez

    Unidade de Transplante Abdominal, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Rúa da Choupana, s/n, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    ,
    Evaristo Varo-Pérez

    Unidade de Transplante Abdominal, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Rúa da Choupana, s/n, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    ,
    Manuel López-Rivadulla

    Servizo de Toxicoloxía, Instituto de Ciencias Forenses, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Rúa San Francisco, s/n, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    ,
    Angelines Cruz

    Servizo de Toxicoloxía, Instituto de Ciencias Forenses, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Rúa San Francisco, s/n, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    &
    Ana de-Castro-Ríos

    *Author for correspondence: Tel.: +34 88181 2446; Fax: +34 88181 2459;

    E-mail Address: ana.decastro@usc.es

    Servizo de Toxicoloxía, Instituto de Ciencias Forenses, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Rúa San Francisco, s/n, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    Published Online:https://doi.org/10.4155/bio-2019-0143

    Aim: This study aimed: to develop and validate an LC–MS/MS method for mycophenolic acid, tacrolimus, sirolimus, everolimus and cyclosporin A in oral fluid (OF), as an essential tool to study the usefulness of OF as an alternative matrix for immunossuppressants’ therapeutic drug monitoring; and to find the best OF collector for these analytes. Materials & Methods: Chromatographic separation was achieved using an XBridge® Shield RP18 analytical column maintained at 65ºC, using 2 mM ammonium formate and 0.1% formic acid in water (A) and acetonitrile (B) as mobile phase. OF sample was extracted with solid phase extraction after sonication and protein precipitation. Results & Conclusions: Method validation met all the acceptance criteria. LODs were 0.05–1 ng/ml, and LOQs 0.1–5 ng/ml. Silanized tubes offered the best recoveries. The method was successfully applied to 31 OF specimens, describing everolimus detection in OF for the first time. Conclusion: The proposed method is sensitive enough for the detection of OF trough concentrations in patients receiving immunosuppressants when using an appropriate OF collector.

    Graphical abstract

    Papers of special note have been highlighted as: • of interest; •• of considerable interest

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