Background: Volumetric absorptive microsamples (VAMS) can support pharmacokinetic / pharmacodynamic studies. We present the bioanalytical method development for the simultaneous quantification of ampicillin, cefepime, ceftriaxone, meropenem, piperacillin, tazobactam, and vancomycin from VAMS. Methods & results: Optimal extraction, chromatographic, and mass spectrometry conditions were identified. Maximum extraction recoveries included 100 μl of water for rehydration and methanol for protein precipitation. Chromatographic separation used Phenomenex Kinetex^™ Polar C18 column with a mobile phase comprising water/acetonitrile with formic acid and was fully validated. Hematocrit effects were only observed for vancomycin. Samples were stable for 90 days at -80°C except for meropenem, which was stable for 60 days. Conclusion: Multiple antibiotics can be assayed from a single VAMS sample to facilitate pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic studies.

Keywords:

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

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Vol. 16, No. 1

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Received 21 August 2023

Accepted 2 November 2023

Published online 22 November 2023

Published in print January 2024

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Supplementary data

To view the supplementary data that accompany this paper please visit the journal website at: www.future-science.com/doi/suppl/10.4155/bio-2023-0171

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr Mark Hall and the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury and Sepsis Investigators Network, patients, caregivers and families for their participation in this work.

Financial disclosure

Research reported in this publication was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human development of the National Institutes of Health under award no. R01HD103755 (MPIs: KJ Downes, MH Scheetz). The authors have no other competing interests or relevant affiliations with any organization or entity with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Competing interests disclosure

The authors have no competing interests or relevant affiliations with any organization or entity with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, stock ownership or options and expert testimony.

Writing disclosure

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

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