Dried blood spot analysis for therapeutic drug monitoring of linezolid in patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2012 Nov;56(11):5758-63. doi: 10.1128/AAC.01054-12. Epub 2012 Aug 27.

Abstract

Linezolid is a promising antimicrobial agent for the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), but its use is limited by toxicity. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) may help to minimize toxicity while adequate drug exposure is maintained. Conventional plasma sampling and monitoring might be hindered in many parts of the world by logistical problems that may be solved by dried blood spot (DBS) sampling. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a novel method for TDM of linezolid in MDR-TB patients using DBS sampling. Plasma, venous DBS, and capillary DBS specimens were obtained simultaneously from eight patients receiving linezolid. A DBS sampling method was developed and clinically validated by comparing DBS with plasma results using Passing-Bablok regression and Bland-Altman analysis. This study showed that DBS analysis was reproducible and robust. Accuracy and between- and within-day precision values from three validations presented as bias and coefficient of variation (CV) were less than 17.2% for the lower limit of quantification and less than 7.8% for other levels. The method showed a high recovery of approximately 95% and a low matrix effect of less than 8.7%. DBS specimens were stable at 37°C for 2 months and at 50°C for 1 week. The ratio of the concentration of linezolid in DBS samples to that in plasma was 1.2 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12 to 1.27). Linezolid exposure calculated from concentrations DBS samples and plasma showed good agreement. In conclusion, DBS analysis of linezolid is a promising tool to optimize linezolid treatment in MDR-TB patients. An easy sampling procedure and high sample stability may facilitate TDM, even in underdeveloped countries with limited resources and where conventional plasma sampling is not feasible.

MeSH terms

  • Acetamides / blood*
  • Acetamides / pharmacokinetics
  • Acetamides / pharmacology
  • Adult
  • Antitubercular Agents / blood*
  • Antitubercular Agents / pharmacokinetics
  • Antitubercular Agents / pharmacology
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Dried Blood Spot Testing
  • Drug Monitoring / methods*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Linezolid
  • Male
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / drug effects*
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / growth & development
  • Oxazolidinones / blood*
  • Oxazolidinones / pharmacokinetics
  • Oxazolidinones / pharmacology
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry
  • Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / blood*
  • Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / drug therapy*
  • Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / microbiology

Substances

  • Acetamides
  • Antitubercular Agents
  • Oxazolidinones
  • Linezolid