title: Fast, fully automated analysis of voriconazole from serum by LC-LC-ESI-MS-MS with parallel column-switching technique.
abstract: Voriconazole is a novel broad-spectrum antifungal agent. We developed an on-line LC-LC-MS-MS method for fully automated and direct analysis of voriconazole in raw human serum. After injection of human serum size-selective sample fractionation and analyte extraction was achieved using an extraction column (25 mm x 4 mm) packed with a restricted access material (RAM, LiChrospher ADS C(8), 25 microm). On-line transfer of voriconazole from the extraction column was followed by chromatography separation on a C(18) column. Detection was done by ESI-MS-MS. The total analysis time was 13 min, managed by parallel extraction and chromatographic separation. This LC-MS assay was fully validated. The lower limit of quantification was 0.05 microg/ml. The automated inline extraction of voriconazole described here eliminates the need for difficult and time-consuming sample pre-treatment. Other advantages of the new method are that only a small quantity (5 microl) of serum is needed and that the method is very specific.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Medicine and Hospital Epidemiology, Freiburg University Hospital, Hugstetter Str. 55, D 79106 Freiburg i. Br., Germany.
authors.forename: Hannes
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Egle
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Trittler
authors.forename: Armin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: König
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kümmerer
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000097:blood*; D001331:Automation; D002138:Calibration; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000097:blood*; D012015:Reference Standards; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000379:methods*; D014230:Triazoles / Q000097:blood*; D065819:Voriconazole
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D011743:Pyrimidines; D014230:Triazoles; D065819:Voriconazole