A method using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection for the analysis of vancomycin in human plasma was developed. Chromatographic conditions included an octadecyl column, a mobile phase of acetonitrile-sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7) (12:88), a total run time of 12 min, and coulometric electrochemical detection at +700 mV. Linear detector response was found in the range 5-100 microg ml(-1) after a 1:80 dilution or from 0.5 to 50 microg ml(-1) after a 1:20 dilution of the samples. In both cases the correlation coefficient (r) of the calibration curve standard was better than 0.995. Vancomycin determination was based on a denaturation of plasma proteins with methanol, then a dilution with mobile phase was performed. Recovery of vancomycin from plasma was 103.1+/-3.9%, and no interference from commonly used drugs or endogenous compounds was observed. A significant correlation was shown with the EMIT assay (r=0.92, P<0.001) using clinical samples from children. This HPLC technique is simple, sensitive, rapid, precise, selective and requires only 100 microl of plasma for completion.