Microsampling to support pharmacokinetic clinical studies in pediatrics
Yarmarly Guerra Valero1, Tavey Dorofaeff2,3, Lisa Parker4
1UQ Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. y.guerravalero@uq.edu.au.
Pediatric Research
|May 23, 2021
Summary
Microsampling is preferred over conventional blood draws for pediatric pharmacokinetic studies. This method is highly acceptable to parents and nurses, potentially increasing child participation in crucial research.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Pediatric Clinical Research
- Biomedical Science
Background:
- Conventional blood sampling for pharmacokinetic studies imposes a significant physiological and emotional burden on pediatric patients.
- Microsampling, which requires smaller blood volumes, presents a potential solution to mitigate this burden in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the perceptions of parents/guardians and bedside nurses regarding the use of microsampling versus conventional blood sampling in pediatric pharmacokinetic studies.
- To determine if microsampling is considered an acceptable and preferable alternative for blood collection in pediatric clinical research.
Main Methods:
- A questionnaire-based study involving parents/guardians and bedside nurses who participated in or supported pediatric pharmacokinetic clinical studies.
- Responses were collected using a seven-point Likert scale and analyzed through frequency distributions.
Main Results:
- Over 96% of parents/guardians and 100% of nurses found microsampling highly acceptable and recommended it for pediatric patients.
- A majority of parents reported no pain (61%) or neutral responses (14%) for their children during microsampling, while nurses also indicated minimal pain perception.
Conclusions:
- Parents/guardians and bedside nurses strongly prefer microsampling over conventional methods for pediatric pharmacokinetic studies.
- Adoption of microsampling may enhance the feasibility and increase the participation of children in essential clinical research.
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