2026 · Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy · open access
Cefepime pharmacokinetics in critically ill children with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome using volumetric absorptive microsampling
Amajor et al.
The finding, in our words
In 15 critically ill children with multiple organ dysfunction, a population pharmacokinetic model built on volumetric absorptive microsamples found that estimated glomerular filtration rate and age drove cefepime clearance and distribution; the authors take this as showing the method is workable for antimicrobial monitoring in this group.
A paraphrase to the Library’s standard, never the abstract. The source is one link away and is always the authority.
The study developed and validated a rapid LC-MS/MS method for quantifying cefazolin in capillary whole blood collected via VAMS, plasma, and plasma ultrafiltrate, showing robust performance across matrices and successful application in a pediatric pilot cohort for therapeutic drug monitoring.
A systematic review found mixed economic evidence for microsampling in therapeutic drug monitoring; one study reported no cost reduction with DBS home-sampling, €688 versus €676, whilst another predicted savings up to 61%. The authors caution that more work is required to assess costs alongside clinical outcomes and optimise logistics for decentralised implementation.
This study validated a method for quantifying fluconazole using the Mitra device, demonstrating sufficient accuracy and precision for therapeutic drug monitoring in paediatric patients.
The study compared quantitative dried blood spot (qDBS) and volumetric absorptive microsampling (VAMS) devices for measuring ganciclovir levels in capillary blood from pediatric renal transplant recipients. This comparison provides evidence for choosing between microsampling devices in therapeutic drug monitoring, supporting decentralised sampling approaches that reduce patient burden while maintaining analytical accuracy.
The study developed and validated LC-MS/MS methods for ganciclovir in serum, dried serum spots, and VAMS-Mitra devices. In 80 pediatric renal transplant recipients, VAMS showed interchangeability with serum samples while extending stability to at least 49 days at room temperature, making decentralised therapeutic drug monitoring more feasible for transplant patients.