Application of the Empore solid-phase extraction membrane to the isolation of drugs from blood. I. Amiodarone and desethylamiodarone.

We describe the use of a new form of solid-phase material, the Empore solid-phase extraction membrane (SPEM), for therapeutic drug monitoring. We evaluated the new extraction procedure with the companion high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the antiarrhythmic drug amiodarone and its metabolite, desethylamiodarone, in patients' serum. Acidified serum (250 microliters) was passed through an octyl (C8) SPEM secured in an MF-1 microfilter unit. Serum proteins and potential interferences were removed with an acetonitrile:water wash, and the retained drugs eluted with HPLC mobile phase. This eluate was injected directly onto the analytical column. Both drugs averaged 85% recovery with a linear response from a lower limit of detection at 0.05 mg/L up to 6 mg/L, and between-run precision coefficients of variation ranging from 3.1 to 6.4% over the concentration range of 0.5-3.0 mg/L. We observed significant advantages of the novel SPEM over conventional liquid-liquid or large-particle size solid-phase sorbents packed in cartridges. Minimal amounts of solvents were required, elution volume was smaller, time-consuming evaporating/concentrating steps that can influence drug stability were avoided, and little throw-away material was generated. Only the small membrane was discarded.