Microsampling Assays for Immunosuppressive Drugs in Children

Study Summary

Immunosuppressive therapy is used to treat and manage solid organ and bone marrow/stem cell transplants in children. However, it can be harmful if too little or too much is given. Monitoring immunosuppressive drug (cyclosporine A, tacrolimus, and sirolimus) concentrations in the blood is important to ensure that the drug is given safely and effectively, but current approaches for collecting blood from a vein are painful and often difficult in children. Investigators seek to compare a new approach for monitoring immunosuppressive drug concentrations using a novel small volume blood sampling device, called Tasso-M20, to the traditional way of collecting blood from a vein. Additionally Investigators are interested in assessing patient and family perceptions of the Tasso-M20 device being used for immunosuppressive therapy and their comfortability using the device outside of a clinical setting. The primary objective of this project is to identify the relationship between cyclosporine A (CYA), tacrolimus (TAC), and sirolimus (SIR) concentrations in the venous blood (gold-standard) and capillary whole blood obtained using the microsampling device Tasso-M20. The secondary objective of this study is to investigate the stability of CYA, TAC, and SIR in blood samples collected using the Tasso-M20 device under the conditions of shipping and storage. The sub-study objective is to thematically compare subjects' and families' perceptions of blood collection via the Tasso-M20 device and standard venous blood collection.

Primary Outcome

Capillary whole blood specimens will be obtained via the Tasso M-20 sampling device to determine validity of the assay compared to venous blood samples (gold standard and used clinically) in measuring Tacrolimus concentration levels.

Interventions

• OTHER Microsampling