Kai van Hateren

Simultaneous Quantification of Anidulafungin and Caspofungin in Plasma by an Accurate and Simple Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass-Spectrometric Method

Introduction: Echinocandins are a valuable addition for the treatment of invasive fungal infections, as they are efficacious, demonstrate low toxicity, and have limited drug–drug interactions. In specific clinical situations when altered pharmacokinetics can be expected or dosing guidelines are conflicting, it may be useful to measure concentrations. For this purpose, a liquid chromatography tandem mass-spectrometric method to measure anidulafungin and caspofungin in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid plasma was developed. Methods: The method was developed on a Thermo Fisher TSQ Quantum LC-MS/MS. For separation, a BetaBasic C4 (100 mm × 3.0 mm; 5 &mgr;m) analytical column was used. Sample preparation consisted of protein precipitation directly in the autosampler vial. The internal standard aculeacin A is structurally related, not used in humans, and commercially available. The method was validated according to the guidelines for bioanalytical method validation of the Food and Drug Administration. Results: The method was accurate (bias ranging from −3.0% to 1.9%) and precise (within-run and between-run coefficients of variation of 2.2% to 7.7% and 1.6% to 9.0%, respectively). All calibration curves were linear over a range of 0.5–10.0 mg/L for anidulafungin and 0.1–20.0 mg/L for caspofungin, and if necessary, samples can be diluted 10-fold. The samples were stable for 3 freeze–thaw cycles, with a bias ranging from 0.6% to 11%. The maximum bias from the worst storage condition, 72 hours at room temperature, was −14.7%. In patient samples, anidulafungin peak concentrations ranged from 2.8 to 8.6 mg/L (n = 20) and trough concentrations ranged from 1.0 to 4.7 mg/L (n = 79). The measured caspofungin concentrations ranged from 1.9 to 7.3 mg/L (n = 20). Conclusions: The method developed has a straightforward sample preparation and uses a structural analog as the internal standard. This method has been applied successfully for the measurement of anidulafungin and caspofungin concentrations in patient samples, both for clinical practice and for research.

Determination of Bedaquiline in Human Serum Using Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

ABSTRACT Bedaquiline, a diarylquinoline for the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (TB), relies on exposure-dependent killing. As data on drug exposure in specific populations are scarce, pharmacokinetic studies may be of interest. No simple and robust validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method has been reported to date. Therefore, a new method using a quadrupole mass spectrometer was developed for analysis of bedaquiline and N-monodesmethyl bedaquiline (M2) in human serum, using deuterated bedaquiline as the internal standard. The calibration curve was linear over a range of 0.05 (lower limit of quantification [LLOQ]) to 6.00 mg/liter for both bedaquiline and M2, with correlation coefficient values of 0.997 and 0.999, respectively. The calculated accuracy ranged from 1.9% to 13.6% for bedaquiline and 2.9% to 8.5% for M2. Within-run precision ranged from 3.0% to 7.2% for bedaquiline and 3.1% to 5.2% for M2, and between-run precision ranged from 0.0% to 4.3% for bedaquiline and 0.0% to 4.6% for M2. Evaluation of serum concentrations in a patient receiving bedaquiline showed high levels at the end of treatment, reflecting accumulation of the drug. More observational pharmacokinetic data are needed to relate altered drug concentrations to clinical outcome or adverse drug effects. A simple LC-MS/MS method to quantify bedaquiline and M2 levels in human serum using a deuterated internal standard has been validated. This method can be used in clinical studies and daily practice.

Quantification of amikacin and kanamycin in serum using a simple and validated LC-MS/MS method

BACKGROUND Amikacin and kanamycin are frequently used in the treatment of multidrug-resistant TB. The current commercially available immunoassay is unable to analyze kanamycin and trough levels of amikacin. The objective was therefore to develop a LC-MS/MS method for the quantification of amikacin and kanamycin in human serum. MATERIALS & METHODS Using apramycin as internal standard, selectivity, accuracy, precision, recovery, matrix effects and stability were evaluated. RESULTS The presented LC-MS/MS method meets the recommendations of the US FDA with a low LLOQ of 250 ng/ml for amikacin and 100 ng/ml for kanamycin. No statistical significant difference was found between the LC-MS/MS method and the immunoassay of amikacin (Architect(®) assay, p = 0.501). CONCLUSION The low LLOQ of amikacin and the ability to analyze kanamycin makes the LC-MS/MS method the preferred method for analyzing these aminoglycosides.

Clinical Validation of the Analysis of Fluconazole in Oral Fluid in Hospitalized Children

ABSTRACT Fluconazole is a first-line antifungal agent for the treatment and prophylaxis of invasive candidiasis in pediatric patients. Pediatric patients are at risk of suboptimal drug exposure, due to developmental changes in gastrointestinal and renal function, metabolic capacity, and volume of distribution. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) can therefore be useful to prevent underexposure of fluconazole in children and infants. Children, however, often fear needles and can have difficult vascular access. The purpose of this study was to develop and clinically validate a method of analysis to determine fluconazole in oral fluid in pediatric patients. Twenty-one paired serum and oral fluid samples were obtained from 19 patients and were analyzed using a validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS-MS) method after cross-validation between serum and oral fluid. The results were within accepted ranges for accuracy and precision, and samples were stable at room temperature for at least 17 days. A Pearson correlation test for the fluconazole concentrations in serum and oral fluid showed a correlation coefficient of 0.960 (P < 0.01). The mean oral fluid-to-serum concentration ratio was 0.99 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.88 to 1.10) with Bland-Altman analysis. In conclusion, an oral fluid method of analysis was successfully developed and clinically validated for fluconazole in pediatric patients and can be a noninvasive, painless alternative to perform TDM of fluconazole when blood sampling is not possible or desirable. When patients receive prolonged courses of antifungal treatment and use fluconazole at home, this method of analysis can extend the possibilities of TDM for patients at home.

Dried blood spot analysis for therapeutic drug monitoring of Clozapine

BACKGROUND Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder that affects approximately 0.4%-1% of the population worldwide. Diagnosis of schizophrenia is based primarily on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) criteria. Clozapine is an antipsychotic drug that is mainly used in the treatment of schizophrenia patients who are refractory or intolerant to at least 2 other antipsychotics. Due to the high variability in pharmacokinetics of clozapine, therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is highly recommended for clozapine therapy. OBJECTIVE To develop and clinically validate a novel sampling method using dried blood spot (DBS) to support TDM of clozapine and norclozapine. METHODS From June 2014 to September 2014, 15 schizophrenia patients (18-55 years) treated with clozapine were included. Plasma, DBS samples made from venous samples (VDBS), and finger prick DBS (DBS) samples were obtained before administration and 2, 4, 6, and 8 hours after clozapine intake. The study was repeated in 6 Russian patients for external validation. Passing-Bablok regression and Bland-Altman analysis were used to compare the DBS, VDBS, and plasma results for clozapine and norclozapine. RESULTS The DBS validation results showed good linearity over the concentration time curve measured for clozapine and norclozapine. The accuracy and between- and within-day precision variation values were within accepted ranges. Different blood spot volumes and hematocrit values had no significant influence on the results. The DBS samples were stable at 20°C and 37°C for 2 weeks and at -20°C for 2 years. The mean clozapine and norclozapine DBS/plasma ratios were, respectively, 0.80 (95% CI, 0.76 to 0.85) and 1.063 (95% CI, 1.027 to 1.099) in Dutch patients. The mean clozapine DBS/DPS ratio in Russian patients was 0.70 (95% CI, 0.64 to 0.76). CONCLUSION DBS analysis is a reliable tool for blood sampling and performing TDM of clozapine and norclozapine in daily practice and substantially extends the opportunities for TDM of clozapine.

Quantification of co-trimoxazole in serum and plasma using MS/MS

BACKGROUND Co-trimoxazole is frequently used in the prophylaxis and treatment of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. High plasma concentrations of sulfamethoxazole or trimethoprim are correlated with toxicity. There is, however, a large variation in PK observed which can lead to underexposure or toxicity. RESULTS We developed a novel LC-MS/MS method to analyze the components of co-trimoxazole, trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole and its metabolite sulfamethoxazole-N-acetyl. This new method is expeditious due to its limited sample preprocessing and a relatively short run-time of only 3 min. CONCLUSION This new method met the US FDA requirements on linearity, selectivity, precision, accuracy, matrix effects, recovery and stability and is suitable for routine analysis and future prospective studies.

Pharmacokinetics of Levofloxacin in Multidrug-and Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis Patients

ABSTRACT Pharmacodynamics are especially important in the treatment of multidrug- and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (M/XDR-TB). The free area under the concentration time curve in relation to MIC (fAUC/MIC) is the most relevant pharmacokinetic (PK)-pharmacodynamic (PD) parameter for predicting the efficacy of levofloxacin (LFX). The objective of our study was to assess LFX PK variability in M/XDR-TB patients and its potential consequence for fAUC/MIC ratios. Patients with pulmonary M/XDR-TB received LFX as part of the treatment regimen at a dose of 15 mg/kg administered once daily. Blood samples obtained at steady state before and 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, and 12 h after drug administration were measured by validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The MIC values of LFX were determined by the agar dilution method on Middlebrook 7H10 and the MGIT960 system. Twenty patients with a mean age of 31 years (interquartile range [IQR] = 27 to 35 years) were enrolled in this study. The median AUC0–24 was 98.8 mg/h/liter (IQR = 84.8 to 159.6 mg/h/liter). The MIC median value for LFX was 0.5 mg/liter with a range of 0.25 to 2.0 mg/liter, and the median fAUC0–24/MIC ratio was 109.5 (IQR = 48.5 to 399.4). In 4 of the 20 patients, the value was below the target value of ≥100. When MICs of 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg/liter were applicable, 19, 18, 3, and no patients, respectively, had an fAUC/MIC ratio that exceeded 100. We observed a large variability in AUC. An fAUC0–24/MIC of ≥100 was only observed when the MIC values for LFX were 0.25 to 0.5 mg/liter. Dosages exceeding 15 mg/kg should be considered for target attainment if exposures are assumed to be safe. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT02169141.)