Self-collected dried blood spots as a tool for measuring ovarian reserve in young female cancer survivors
Roberts et al.
The finding, in our words
Young female cancer survivors aged 18 to 44 can successfully self-collect dried blood spot samples at home, with 91% submitting specimens adequate for AMH assay. This demonstrates feasibility of patient-centric, decentralised monitoring of ovarian reserve in geographically dispersed populations, though generalisability may be limited to highly educated, higher-income groups.
A paraphrase to the Library’s standard, never the abstract. The source is one link away and is always the authority.
Home DBS sampling gave testosterone results that agreed well with venous blood in men on intramuscular testosterone undecanoate, but showed falsely high values in those using topical gel, likely from skin contamination. Patients preferred home collection for its convenience, suggesting DBS is viable for decentralised monitoring of injectable testosterone if patients are taught proper technique.
A remote protocol combining daily surveys with weekly self-collected dried blood spots achieved a 92% study completion rate and high acceptability among reproductive-age women smokers, with 87% of participants collecting most samples and the same proportion extremely willing to repeat the study. This feasibility demonstrates that decentralised microsampling can support longitudinal research on hormonal contraceptive effects and smoking behaviour.
In a study of 46 perinatal nicotine users, dried blood spots and saliva were used weekly to measure reproductive hormones, finding that lower postpartum estradiol and greater peripartum declines in oxytocin were associated with increased nicotine craving and use. This demonstrates the feasibility of decentralised microsampling and remote surveys for longitudinal hormone tracking in vulnerable populations.
This study found that dried blood spot samples stored at room temperature for four years correlated highly with serum measurements for testosterone and androstenedione, indicating that hematocrit adjustment may be unnecessary for serial monitoring in home-based self-sampling.
Female adolescent and young adult cancer survivors frequently misestimated their infertility risk, with minimal agreement between perceived risk and objective assessment using self-collected dried blood spots for ovarian reserve testing. The study suggests ongoing counselling could align perceptions with actual risk and inform family planning.