title: Dried blood spot testing: a novel approach for the therapeutic drug monitoring of ziprasidone-treated patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A novel analytical approach, based on dried blood spot (DBS) testing, has been developed, validated and applied for the first time to the analysis of ziprasidone (ZPR) for the therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of schizophrenic patients. DBS represent a more feasible but reliable matrix, alternative to blood and plasma.
  
  
  METHODS
  The assays were carried out using an HPLC method with native fluorescence. Blood drops were applied to DBS cards and dried by microwaves, an internal standard solution was added to the DBS and 5-mm punches were cut out for analysis. ZPR was extracted from DBS with methanol, giving good extraction yields, precision and selectivity results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The method was applied with satisfactory results to DBS samples from psychiatric patients to determine ZPR levels for therapy optimization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This innovative methodology provides reliable and significant TDM information, with important advantages over classical blood sampling in terms of collection, storage and processing.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmaco-Toxicological Analysis; Department of Pharmacy & Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mercolini
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mandrioli
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Protti
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Conca
authors.forename: Lawrence J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Albers
authors.forename: Maria Augusta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Raggi
mesh_terms: D001800:Blood Specimen Collection; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods; D059788:Dried Blood Spot Testing / Q000379:methods*; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010879:Piperazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D010879:Piperazines; D013844:Thiazoles; C092292:ziprasidone