Quantification of Vancomycin and Clindamycin in Synovial Tissue and Bone Using Ultra-High-Performance Liquid

Amanda J Holst1, Soma Bahmany1, Angela C J van Dorp1

  • 1Department of Hospital Pharmacy, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring
|September 5, 2025
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

A new method accurately measures vancomycin and clindamycin in bone and joint tissues after surgery. This aids in optimizing antibiotic dosing for periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs).

Area of Science:

  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Pharmacokinetics
  • Orthopedic Surgery

Background:

  • Periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) affect 1-2% of patients undergoing hip or knee arthroplasty.
  • Current PJI treatment relies on revision surgery and prolonged antibiotic therapy.
  • Suboptimal antibiotic concentrations at the infection site can lead to treatment failure or adverse events.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and validate a novel ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method.
  • To quantify vancomycin and clindamycin concentrations in synovial tissue and bone samples.
  • To improve understanding of antibiotic pharmacokinetics in PJI treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Development of a UHPLC-MS/MS technique for antibiotic quantification.
  • Method validation adhering to European Medicines Agency (EMA) and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines.
  • Testing linearity, precision, accuracy, carry-over, and stability of antibiotic extracts.

Main Results:

  • The UHPLC-MS/MS method demonstrated excellent linearity for vancomycin and clindamycin in bone and synovial tissue (r2 > 0.990).
  • Validation parameters for precision, accuracy, and carry-over were within acceptable limits.
  • Clindamycin extracts were stable for 24 hours; vancomycin extracts were stable in synovial tissue but not bone.

Conclusions:

  • A validated UHPLC-MS/MS method for quantifying vancomycin and clindamycin in synovial tissue and bone has been successfully developed.
  • This method provides a crucial tool for pharmacokinetic studies in PJI.
  • Optimized antibiotic dosing strategies can be informed by these tissue concentration measurements.