2020 · Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis · open access
Quantitative microsampling for bioanalytical applications related to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: Usefulness, benefits and pitfalls
Protti et al.
The finding, in our words
The review evaluates microsampling techniques including dried matrix spots, volumetric absorptive microsampling and capillary microsampling for SARS-CoV-2 bioanalytical applications, outlining their respective advantages and disadvantages to guide researchers and clinicians in pandemic-related diagnostics.
A paraphrase to the Library’s standard, never the abstract. The source is one link away and is always the authority.
This review found that volumetric microsampling devices, such as Mitra, HemaPEN, HemaXis DB10, and Tasso-M20, overcome haematocrit bias, whilst Telimmune plasma separation cards enable direct plasma collection without centrifugation. These technologies support patient-centric, decentralised sampling, though the authors note that clinical validation remains limited across different drugs and patient populations.
Huhn & Scherf-Clavel, Therapeutic drug monitoring (paywalled) · source ↗
This method validation for 15 cardiovascular drugs found that VAMS and Capitainer-B provided interchangeable patient results, although Capitainer-B showed higher matrix effects while VAMS exhibited stability losses for specific analytes after two weeks. The work confirms the suitability of these microsampling workflows for decentralised adherence monitoring but highlights the need for analyte-specific stability testing.
Capillary samples collected using dried blood spots and Mitra microsamplers showed strong agreement with venous plasma for quantifying IgG antibodies against most vaccine-preventable diseases. Sensitivity was high for the majority of pathogens, though the study noted that antibody stability declined at room temperature over time, favouring cold storage for longer durations.
Ombati et al., Scientific reports (paywalled) · source ↗
The study found very strong correlation between venous blood collection and capillary VAMS using Mitra devices for detecting SARS-CoV-2 spike antibodies, with samples remaining stable at room temperature for several months. This enables reliable at-home, patient-centric serological testing for large-scale community surveillance and vaccine studies.
Mayer et al., Journal of immunological methods (paywalled) · source ↗
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.
Kocur et al., European journal of pharmaceutical sciences : official journal of the European Federation for Pharmaceutical Sciences (paywalled) · source ↗