Microsampling Techniques Suitable for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Antipsychotics

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Analytical Chemistry
• Clinical Diagnostics

Background:

• Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of antipsychotics is crucial for dose adjustment and compliance checks.
• Traditional TDM involves invasive venous blood sampling, requiring clinic visits and trained personnel.
• Advancements in analytical sensitivity have spurred interest in minimally invasive microsampling techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and assess the current state of microsampling techniques for antipsychotic TDM.
• To evaluate the clinical validation and practical applicability of these microsampling methods.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of PubMed and Embase databases.
• Summary of available microsampling techniques for antipsychotics in blood, serum, or plasma.
• Assessment of the validation status of identified microsampling techniques for routine TDM.

Main Results:

• Several microsampling techniques exist, including dried blood spot and volumetric absorptive microsampling.
• Eighteen studies reported chemical, analytical, and clinical validation of microsampling for antipsychotics.
• Most studies exhibit limitations, hindering widespread adoption for diverse antipsychotics.

Conclusions:

• Microsampling for TDM is recommended for clozapine patients.
• Microsampling represents a promising future development for TDM of other antipsychotics.