A Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Method for Simultaneously Determining Meropenem and Linezolid in...

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Analytical Chemistry
• Clinical Microbiology

Background:

• Antibiotic dosing requires precise measurement to avoid treatment failure and adverse effects.
• Meropenem and linezolid are critical for serious infections, including CNS infections.
• Predicting antibiotic concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is challenging, necessitating direct measurement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a robust analytical method for simultaneous quantification of meropenem and linezolid.
• To enable accurate determination of antibiotic concentrations in both serum and CSF.
• To support optimized therapeutic drug monitoring in pediatric patients.

Main Methods:

• Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was employed for simultaneous analysis.
• A comprehensive validation was performed adhering to FDA and EMA guidelines.
• Key validation parameters included precision, specificity, accuracy, LOD, LOQ, stability, and matrix effects.

Main Results:

• The developed LC-MS/MS method demonstrated high accuracy, precision, and specificity.
• All validation parameters met established acceptance criteria.
• The method was successfully applied to quantify meropenem and linezolid in pediatric serum and CSF samples.

Conclusions:

• A validated LC-MS/MS method allows for reliable measurement of meropenem and linezolid in serum and CSF.
• This method is essential for therapeutic drug monitoring in children receiving these antibiotics.
• Accurate quantification supports optimized dosing strategies to improve treatment efficacy and patient safety.