Dried blood spots: Concepts, present status, and future perspectives in bioanalysis

Abstract

Over the past several years, dried blood spot (DBS) sampling technique has emerged as a pertinent method in both qualitative and quantitative bioanalysis context. In the DBS method, the blood sample is directly soaked on to a paper (with or without treatment). After drying it can be analyzed by modern analytical, immunological, or genomic detection systems. Several advantages of the DBS technique such as low blood volume requirement, transportation and storage without special treatment, better analytes stability, enhanced clinical cooperation in clinical trials, and reduced unforeseeable exposure of analysts to biohazards, make it the most appropriate blood sampling technique. This review illustrates the information available on the DBS method which may serve as a single window for investigators in the field of bioanalysis. Also, it explores the proficiency and appliance of the DBS method in pharmacokinetic (PK), therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM), toxicokinetic (TK), metabolomic, and disease diagnosis.

The Role of Blood Spot Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate Levels in Adjunct to Hand Wrist Radiographs as Skeletal Maturity Indicator

“…The blood spot method is a less invasive, less cumbersome technique and has a lower biohazard risk. The dried blood spot method was compared with whole blood in relation to the drug concentration-time profile, area under the curve, stability, precision, variability and data accuracy, and the results were similar (22,23). Worthman and Stallings documented that the blood spot DHEAs samples displayed good reliability, specificity, precision, accuracy, and convertibility of results to the plasma/serum equivalent concentrations (Pearson correlation coefficients value 0.99) (24).…”

Effect of Dried Blood Spot Quality on Newborn Screening Analyte Concentrations and Recommendations for Minimum Acceptance Criteria for Sample Analysis

“…Sample quality is essential to obtain valid results to ensure that disorders are not missed, and to prevent parental anxiety caused by false-positive results. Our findings may have wider implications, since DBS are being increasingly used for diagnostic (e.g., inborn errors of metabolism) and monitoring (e.g., therapeutic drug monitoring) purposes (4,7,14 ). Therefore, sample collectors should ensure that all marked circles on the filter paper are filled and evenly saturated by 1 drop of blood (4,(12)(13)(14).…”

Biomarkers for atopic dermatitis

“…The frequency of these visits can be reduced by the use of DBS. Measurement of drug concentrations in DBS is possible in a range of drugs, 135 including CsA, 136-139 mycophenolic acid, 140 and tacrolimus, 139,141,142 drugs which are frequently prescribed in AD treatment. 143 Measurement of creatinine levels in DBS has also been described.…”