Determination of testosterone using the HealthID PSD microsampling device

Monitoring testosterone (T) levels is essential in various clinical contexts, but traditional venous sampling is invasive and limits access. 

This study describes the development and validation of a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method to quantify T in dried plasma spot (DPS) samples obtained from capillary blood using the HealthID PSD microsampling device.

Sex hormones, although present in low concentrations in human plasma, play essential physiological roles in reproduction, sexual differentiation, and immune system regulation. Low T plasma concentrations are observed in male hypogonadism, a clinical condition associated with reduced androgen production. Symptoms include loss of libido, erectile dysfunction, depression, fatigue, and decreased muscle mass.

Venous plasma concentrations of T are typically used for diagnostic purposes and hormone therapy monitoring. Obtaining venous plasma requires phlebotomy performed by a qualified healthcare professional in a facility equipped to handle biohazardous and labile specimens. Moreover, venipuncture is invasive, uncomfortable for patients, and entails time away from work and personal activities, along with costs associated with traveling to the collection site. In contrast, capillary microsampling with the generation of dried samples, such as dried blood spots (DBS) and dried plasma spots (DPS), has emerged as a promising alternative, offering minimally invasive collection, improved patient compliance, at-home self-collection, and greater analyte stability at ambient temperatures, and simplified transportation of specimens for testing.

Alternative microsampling devices that generate DPS after application of blood are useful alternatives for diagnostic medicine.