Measurement of cyclosporine in plasma of cardiac allograft recipients by fluorescence polarization immunoassay

The Abbott TDx fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) procedure for measuring cyclosporine A (CsA) was evaluated and compared with the Sandoz polyclonal radioimmunoassay (CsA RIA kit) method. This drug assay was evaluated for precision, calibration, stability, and accuracy. Within-run precision studies utilizing 25 replicate analyses of the three control preparations (containing CsA in the 60-800 ng/ml range) resulted in coefficients of variation (CV) ranging from 1.0 to 9.1%. The CVs of between-run precision determined by assaying the same control drug levels for five consecutive working days ranged from 3.9 to 4.6%. Calibration curve stability was assessed by examining the drift in control values over a 2-week period. Maximum plasma ranged from 82.6 to 108.2%. Four hundred plasma samples were obtained from 30 heart-transplant patients during the first 6 months of CsA therapy and each sample was analyzed simultaneously by TDx and RIA. Linear regression analysis of the results obtained for each patient (x = RIA, y = FPIA) revealed the following mean values: r = 0.87, (CV = 13.7%), slope = 1.47 (CV = 39.2%). Moreover, the concentration of CsA was determined in 35 patient samples both by TDx and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). FPIA results up to 12 times higher than HPLC results have been noted.     

Comparative analyses of cyclosporine in whole blood and plasma by radioimmunoassay, fluorescence polarization immunoassay, and high-performance liquid chromatography

Cyclosporine (CsA) concentrations were prospectively monitored for 6 months after transplantation in 66 consecutive renal transplant recipients. Analysis for CsA was performed with polyclonal radioimmunoassay (RIA), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) in whole blood and plasma, and with specific and nonspecific monoclonal RIA in whole blood. Precision within and between runs was best with FPIA, followed by HPLC and RIA. A strong correlation was observed between the results obtained with HPLC and specific monoclonal RIA (r = 0.98). Correlation coefficients between the other assays ranged from 0.56 (plasma HPLC versus blood polyclonal RIA) to 0.91 (blood nonspecific monoclonal RIA versus blood FPIA). The highest values for CsA concentrations in blood were found with nonspecific monoclonal RIA, followed by FPIA and polyclonal RIA (mean ratio versus specific monoclonal RIA was 3.3, 2.9, and 2.4, respectively). Specific monoclonal RIA had 7% higher values than HPLC. There was a more than threefold interindividual variation in the mean ratio between specifically and nonspecifically measured CsA concentrations in whole blood and plasma. The ratio between CsA concentrations, determined with specific versus nonspecific methods in whole blood, decreased significantly during the first month after transplantation (from 0.42 to 0.35, as assayed with specific monoclonal RIA versus polyclonal RIA in whole blood; p less than 0.05). The concentrations in blood were, on the average, three times higher than those in plasma, although there was a more than fourfold interindividual variation in the mean values.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Validation of a high-pressure liquid chromatography and fluorescence polarization immunoassay for the determination of methadone in canine plasma

Methadone is a synthetic opiate derivative that possesses analgesic activity. A modified fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) method and a high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with UV detection were compared for measurement of concentrations of methadone in canine plasma following intravenous and oral methadone administration. The mean+/-SD for accuracy (deviation from actual concentration) and precision (coefficient of variation) when methadone-fortified canine plasma was evaluated with the FPIA method were 3.9+/-3.2% and 4.4+/-2.9%, respectively. The accuracy and precision of the HPLC method were 6.2+/-5.2% and 7.7+/-3.9%, respectively. The limit of quantification for the FPIA and HPLC methods were 25 and 20 ng/mL, respectively. The coefficient of determination (r) between FPIA and HPLC analysis was 0.94 when plasma from dogs dosed with methadone was evaluated. FPIA provides a rapid, sensitive, and specific measurement of methadone in canine plasma following oral and intravenous administration.     

Teicoplanin measurement in patients with renal failure: comparison of fluorescence polarization immunoassay, microbiological assay, and high-performance liquid chromatographic assay.

Characterization of antibiotic pharmacokinetics in patients with renal insufficiency may be complicated by interfering substances within the assay. We compared three different assays for teicoplanin in serum and dialysate of 10 hemodialysis and six continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients. The microbiological assay (micro) had a within-run and between-run coefficient of variation (% CV) of less than 7.5% for concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 96 micrograms/ml. The high-performance liquid chromatographic assay (HPLC) within- and between-run %CV was less than 8% for concentrations ranging from 1 to 80 micrograms/ml. The fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) within- and between-run %CV was less than 7% for concentrations ranging from 5 to 100 micrograms/ml. In serum of hemodialysis patients FPIA results were slightly higher than HPLC results: FPIA = 1.11 HPLC + 2.37 (r = 0.975, n = 202), and FPIA concentrations in serum were also slightly higher than those measured by micro (FPIA = 1.21 micro - 1.57, r = 0.972, n = 161). The HPLC and micro serum results were also comparable in hemodialysis patients: micro = 0.92 HPLC + 2.89, r = 0.953, n = 160. However, in CAPD patients micro results were lower than HPLC results in serum (micro = 0.82 HPLC + 0.49, r = 0.981, n = 262). In peritoneal dialysate, HPLC values were approximately 60% of the micro values. Thus, FPIA may be the optimal technique for therapeutic monitoring of teicoplanin in the clinical setting due to its simplicity, specificity, and good correlation to HPLC and micro.     

Lack of apparent effect of assay methodology on the pharmacokinetics of digoxin

The purpose of this study was to determine if serum digoxin concentration data using three different automated immunoassay methods would produce similar pharmacokinetic values in normal volunteer subjects. Area under the curve (AUC), steady-state volume of distribution/bioavailability ratio (Vd/F), terminal elimination rate constant (beta), clearance/bioavailability ratio (CL/F), maximum digoxin concentration (Cmax), minimum digoxin concentration (Cmin), and time of peak (Tp) were evaluated. Ten healthy volunteers received digoxin capsules 0.2 mg daily for 10 days. On day 10, 16 serial blood samples were collected over a 24-h dosing interval and analyzed by radioimmunoassay (RIA) (Concept 4, Micromedic Systems), fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) (TDx, Abbott Laboratories), and affinity column-mediated immunoassay (ACMIA), (aca, duPont Instruments). When comparing RIA and FPIA, the mean of the percent differences for AUC, Vd/F, beta, and CL/F were 9, 4, 10, and 6%, respectively. The mean of the percent differences were 2, 3, 44, and 6%, respectively, when comparing RIA and ACMIA. However, none of these differences were statistically significant. Although a trend toward higher Cmax values by RIA was noted, there was no statistical difference in Cmax, Cmin, and Tp. Orthogonal regression of all serum digoxin concentrations showed that FPIA = 0.76 RIA + 0.19, r = 0.967 (p less than 0.001); and ACMIA = 0.92 RIA + 0.04, r = 0.943 (p less than 0.001). At serum digoxin concentrations less than 1 ng/ml, FPIA overestimated RIA results (p less than 0.005), while ACMIA was approximately equal to the RIA results.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Evaluation of a fluorescence polarization immunoassay procedure for quantitation of isepamicin, a new aminoglycoside antibiotic

A fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) procedure for measuring isepamicin, a new aminoglycoside antibiotic, was evaluated. The range of the assay studied was from 0.3-50 micrograms/ml and the calibration curve can be stored for at least 32 days. There was no interference from hemoglobin (up to 400 mg/dl) and bilirubin (up to 20 mg/dl). Within-run precision on each 20 replicates at 5, 15, and 25 micrograms/ml yielded a coefficient of variation (CV) of 1.44-2.52%; between-run precision on analyses at 5, 15, and 25 micrograms/ml over five periods yielded a CV of 1.26-1.59%. Cross-reactivities of the assay system with tobramycin and amikacin were null, but that with gentamicin, of which isepamicin is a derivative, was approximately 14-29%. Data obtained by microbiological assay and FPIA and by high-performance liquid chromatography and FPIA correlated significantly, with coefficients of correlation being 0.980 (n = 70) and 0.965 (n = 39), respectively. The FPIA offers a rapid, efficient, and accurate system for therapeutic monitoring of isepamicin plasma levels.     

Comparison of a monoclonal antibody fluorescent polarization immunoassay with monoclonal antibody radioimmunoassay for cyclosporin determination in whole blood.

We have compared the whole blood concentrations of parent cyclosporin A (CsA) using monoclonal fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) and radioimmunoassay (RIA) as well as polyclonal FPIA in kidney, heart, and bone marrow transplant patients (n = 89). A good correlation was found between monoclonal FPIA and monoclonal RIA (r = 0.96) and a slightly worse one between polyclonal and monoclonal FPIA (r = 0.90). The interassay coefficient of variation was satisfactory for all the methods-less than 5% for monoclonal FPIA. The monoclonal FPIA assay with Abbott TDx appears to provide rapid, precise, and accurate measurement of parent CsA. It is therefore useful for therapeutic monitoring of CsA in whole blood in kidney, heart, and bone marrow transplant patients.     

Effect of digoxin Fab antibodies on five digoxin immunoassays

Following digoxin Fab antibody (FAB) administration in digitalis-toxic patients, total serum digoxin concentrations (SDCS) become elevated, but do not correlate with pharmacologic activity. In an attempt to accurately measure free (pharmacologically active) SDC in the presence of FAB, we assessed the utility of five digoxin immunoassays: fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA), ultrafiltration with FPIA (ULTRA-FPIA), enzyme multiplied immunoassay (EMIT), radioimmunoassay (RIA), and American Dade's STRATUS (STRATUS). To normal human serum samples containing 2 and 4 ng/ml of digoxin, FAB was added in escalating quantities of 0-1.9 micrograms. In addition, 1.9 micrograms of FAB was added to two serum samples containing no digoxin. SDCS reported by FPIA for each 2 ng/ml samples, in order of ascending FAB doses, were 2.08, 1.94, 2.02, 1.99, 1.95, and 1.93 ng/ml, while the SDCS from the ULTRA-FPIA were 2.00, 1.76, 1.56, 1.36, 1.16, and 0.98 ng/ml. Results similar to the ULTRA-FPIA were obtained with the STRATUS, RIA, and EMIT, although the SDCS from the EMIT (p less than 0.05) samples exhibited greater fluctuation. The 4 ng/ml samples demonstrated similar patterns among the assays although no statistical differences were noticed between EMIT and ULTRA-FPIA. Samples containing FAB without digoxin only adversely affected the RIA, which reported mean SDCS from the two identically prepared samples of 5.8 and 7.8 ng/ml. Except for the FPIA, the SDC measured by the assays directly correlated with the amount of FAB in the sample, demonstrating the ability of these assays to measure free SDC.     

A modified fluorescence polarization immunoassay method incorporating fat emulsion (FE-FPIA) to determine cyclosporin A concentrations in rat skin.

We have developed a simple, sensitive and reliable assay procedure for cyclosporin A (CyA), a modified fluorescence polarization immunoassay method incorporating fat emulsion (FE-FPIA), to determine the CyA content in rat skin. The conventional fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) method for CyA using a commercially available FPIA kit, TDX cyclosporine monoclonal whole blood, was modified. A fat emulsion for intravenous infusion, Intralipos, was incorporated for dissolving the CyA extracted from the skin tissue, and a mixture of MeOH/purified water was used as the sample pretreatment medium instead of the precipitation reagent in the conventional FPIA kit intended for whole blood samples. These modifications enabled us to produce a reliable and the sensitive assay of CyA in skin tissue. The reproducibility (coefficient of variation), detection limit, and assay time for FE-FPIA were below 2%, 25 ng/ml, and about 24 min/24 samples, respectively, and were comparable with those for the whole blood samples determined by the conventional FPIA. Pre-purification of samples required by the HPLC assay is not needed in the FE-FPIA method. The usefulness of the FE-FPIA method in evaluating the topical pharmacokinetics of CyA in skin is discussed.     

Comparison of nonspecific radioimmunoassay, high-performance liquid chromatography, and fluorescence polarization immunoassay for cyclosporine monitoring in renal transplantation

Three methods, i.e., nonspecific radioimmunoassay (RIA; Incstar), fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA; TDx Abbott), and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), have been used for monitoring cyclosporine blood levels in renal transplantation patients. The levels obtained from 135 samples showed a modest correlation between RIA and HPLC, FPIA and HPLC, RIA and FRIA. The mean ratios of RIA to HPLC, FPIA to HPLC, and RIA to FPIA were 2.96, 4.14, and 0.73. The significant variations in cyclosporine levels result from the cross-reaction of antibody with some cyclosporine metabolites, by which these two methods often overestimate the true blood cyclosporine level. HPLC is a more effective and reliable method for pharmacokinetic studies and blood level monitoring of cyclosporine in clinical practice.     

Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography determination of cyclosporin in human blood

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for determination of cyclosporin A (CyA) in blood, using cyclosporin D (CyD) as internal standard, is described. The method is specific, precise, reproducible, accurate, and isocratic, and it requires no derivatization. It is more rapid than previously described methods. Its detection limit is 25 ng/ml, suitable for quantitation of the drug at clinically observed concentrations. No interference was found by any of the other commonly coadministered drugs tested. Comparison of measurements in patients' blood with radioimmunoassay (RIA) results showed lower estimates by the chromatographic technique. Because measurements of the drug in blood banks spiked with pure CyA were similar with the two techniques, the nonspecificity of RIA, probably related to cyclosporin metabolites, was demonstrated. Because the chromatographic technique is simple, it should be preferred to RIA in therapeutic drug monitoring.     

Comparison of fluorescence polarization immunoassay and high performance liquid chromatography for the quantitative determination of phenytoin, phenobarbitone and carbamazepine in serum

The Abbott TDx fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) system has been evaluated and compared with well-established high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for the determination of three anticonvulsant drugs: phenytoin, phenobarbitone and carbamazepine. These assays were evaluated for precision, calibration curve stability, specificity and accuracy. Within-run precision studies using control samples (n = 15) in the subtherapeutic, therapeutic, and toxic concentrations, resulted in coefficients of variation in the range of 1.79-3.99% (FPIA) and 1.16-2.52% (HPLC), respectively. Between-run precision ranged from 2.32-6.34% for FPIA and from 2.04-3.38% for HPLC. Comparison of 122 patient samples assayed with both methods indicated an extremely good analytical correlation (r = 0.96) for all three comparisons. The FPIA method offers significant advantages in calibration curve stability while maintaining accuracy and precision comparable with those of established HPLC procedures.     

Monitoring of plasma methadone: intercorrelation between immunoassay and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Determination of plasma methadone is essential in connection with dose adjustments for patients participating in methadone maintenance programs. We successfully adapted the existing fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) kit intended for urinary methadone to plasma assays. A concentration interval of 50-900 ng/ml could be covered. The coefficient of variation was less than 7%, and the limit of detection below 50 ng/ml. The intercorrelation between the immunoassay and a specific gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) method was studied in samples from 19 heroin addicts in methadone maintenance treatment. A total number of 97 plasma samples with a concentration range of 31-842 ng/ml were used. The slope and intercept of the regression line (CFPIA = 0.93 X CGC-MS + 15) was in good agreement with the theoretical relation (CFPIA = CGC-MS), with a coefficient of correlation of 0.978. The mean ratio, in quantitative result, between the techniques (CFPIA/CGC-MS) was 1.03 +/- 0.01 (SEM). We conclude that the immunoassay proposed in this study can be safely used in patients participating in methadone maintenance programs.     

Measuring endogenous digoxin-like substance and exogenous digoxin in the serum of low-birth-weight infants

The interference with three serum digoxin assay methods of endogenous digoxin-like substance (EDLS) in the serum of low-birth-weight (LBW) infants was assessed. The serum from 5-mL blood samples obtained from each of 19 LBW infants was divided into four 0.5-mL portions. Each portion was spiked with 10 microL of a distilled water-ethanol solution with or without digoxin to produce final digoxin concentrations of 0 (control), 0.49, 0.98, or 1.96 ng/mL. Each portion in each patient was then analyzed by radioimmunoassay (RIA), fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA), and radial partition immunoassay (RPIA) using the control portions to measure EDLS. Serum digoxin concentrations measured by each assay method were calculated by subtracting the EDLS concentrations in the control portions from the measured digoxin concentrations in the spiked samples. The mean +/- S.D. concentrations of EDLS measured by RIA and FPIA were 0.26 +/- 0.13 ng/mL and 0.33 +/- 0.16 ng/mL, respectively. Of the 19 control samples assayed by RPIA, 18 had EDLS concentrations less than 0.1 ng/mL; one sample reflected an apparent concentration of 0.11 ng/mL. Mean recovered digoxin concentrations by RIA at each spiked digoxin concentration were significantly different from those obtained by FPIA and RPIA. A low but significant correlation was noted between EDLS concentrations in serum samples assayed by RIA and FPIA. The RPIA method appears to be preferred over the RIA and FPIA methods used in this study for serum digoxin analysis in LBW infants because of acceptable accuracy and minimal interference by EDLS.     

FPIA法与HPLC法测定苯妥英钠血药浓度的对比

目的比较荧光偏振免疫法（FPIA）与高效液相色谱法（HPLc）测定血浆中苯妥英钠的浓度。方法收集服用苯妥英钠的患者稳态浓度的血浆样品,分别以荧光偏振免疫法和高效液相色谱法进行测定,用回归法考察两种方法测定结果的相关性,比较测定结果。结果2种方法在统计学上无显著性差异,具有良好的相关性（P〉0．05）。以荧光偏振免疫法测定结果（X）与高效液相色谱法测定结果（Y）所作线性回归方程如下：Y=-0．1093＋0．9812x,相关性分析：r=0．9517。结论荧光偏振免疫法与高效液相色谱法测定苯妥英钠血药浓度具有相关性．2种方法均可用于血药浓度的常规监测。     

Determination of the new aromatase inhibitor exemestane in biological fluids by automated high-performance liquid chromatography followed by radioimmunoassay

A procedure for the determination of exemestane, a new aromatase inhibitor, in biological fluids is described in this paper. Exemestane is extracted from human plasma and urine by solid-phase and liquid-liquid extraction, respectively. The test compound is then isolated from endogenous steroids, its metabolites and/or degradation products by HPLC. The exemestane-containing fraction is collected and its exemestane content measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The automated HPLC system allowed a high specificity and reproducibility of retention times, and eliminated almost all manual operations. The RIA allowed the accurate and precise measurement of 12 pg of exemestane/ml in plasma (inter- and intra-assay RSD=17.7 and 13.4%, respectively) and 25 pg/ml in urine (inter- and intra-assay RSD=14.5% and 8.7%, respectively). The recovery of the whole procedure was evaluated by comparison of the RIA calibration curve obtained in plasma or urine (after extraction and HPLC) with that obtained directly in RIA buffer (without extraction and HPLC). The calibration curves were practically superimposable, indicating that the recovery of the whole procedure was excellent. The method was validated in terms of reproducibility, recovery and precision in the range 10–500 pg of exemestane/ml of plasma and 20–1000 pg/ml of urine. Finally the plasma levels of exemestane in a postmenopausal healthy volunteer treated daily for 7 days with oral exemestane at a dose of 1 mg (the lowest dose administered in clinical trials) were monitored using the method here described. Exemestane was detectable in all plasma samples collected (up to 24 h after drug intake). Therefore the analytical method described here should be sufficiently sensitive and specific for the determination of exemestane in plasma and urine from clinical trials in which therapeutic doses of the drug (10–25 mg/day) are administered.     

Comparison of whole-blood cyclosporine levels measured by radioimmunoassay and fluorescence polarization in patients post orthotopic liver transplant

This study compared the analysis of whole blood cyclosporine concentrations measured by fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) and radioimmunoassay (RIA) polyclonal and monoclonal procedures. Fifteen orthotopic liver transplant patients with a mean age of 39 +/- 11.06 years were included in the study. One hundred thirteen levels were analyzed using FPIA, RIA polyclonal, and RIA monoclonal procedures. There was no difference statistically in comparing FPIA and RIA polyclonal results (p greater than 0.05). There was a statistical difference between FPIA and RIA monoclonal results p = 0.0001). With use of least squares simple linear regression analysis, FPIA results showed good correlation with RIA polyclonal results (R2 = 0.87). Poor correlation was shown between FPIA and RIA monoclonal results (R2 = 0.51). In this study population, FPIA produced results 2.5% higher than the RIA polyclonal procedure.     

Determination of N-desmethylmethsuximide serum concentrations using enzyme-multiplied and fluorescence polarization immunoassays

N-Desmethylmethsuximide (NDM), the active metabolite of the antiepileptic agent methsuximide, has been analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in the past. This study compares methods using two commercially available immunoassays for ethosuximide, the enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique (EMIT) and fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA), with an HPLC method for the measurement of NDM concentrations in serum. Within-day precision studies, utilizing low therapeutic (15.0 mg/L) and toxic (45.0 mg/L) NDM concentrations (n = 20), resulted in coefficients of variation (CVs) of 4.6 and 4.2%, respectively, for EMIT and 5.4 and 3.2%, respectively, for FPIA. Day-to-day precision studies (n = 10) resulted in CVs of 7.6 and 5.5%, respectively, for EMIT and 3.5 and 2.4%, respectively, for FPIA. No interference was observed from toxic concentrations of acetaminophen, caffeine, carbamazepine, methsuximide, phenobarbital, phensuximide, phenytoin, primidone, salicylate, and valproic acid in the EMIT and FPIA procedures. There was good linear correlation between EMIT and HPLC NDM determinations of 50 patient samples (r = 0.970; y = 0.96 x + 0.03), and a similar correlation between FPIA and HPLC NDM determinations in 48 patient samples (r = 0.975; y = 0.91 x + 1.24). Using ethosuximide reagents, both EMIT and FPIA systems can be adapted to reliably measure NDM serum concentrations.     

Is the monoclonal fluorescence polarization immunoassay for cyclosporine specific? Comparison with specific radioimmunoassay.

Trough concentrations of cyclosporine (CsA) in whole blood were measured by specific monoclonal 3H-radioimmunoassay (S-RIA) and compared with those obtained by monoclonal fluorescence polarization immunoassay (S-FPIA) in 89 transplant recipients. Differences in the S-RIA:S-FPIA relationship between kidney transplant (KT, n = 59) and heart transplant (HT, n = 24) recipients were investigated. Mean concentrations of CsA were significantly higher by S-FPIA than by S-RIA [191 +/- 127 vs. 166 +/- 124 ng/ml (mean +/- SD), p less than 0.001], with a S-FPIA:S-RIA ratio of 1.25 +/- 0.33. Higher ratios were observed either in patients with low CsA concentrations or in those with a high proportion of metabolites. HT recipients had higher S-FPIA:S-RIA ratios than did KT recipients (1.37 vs. 1.22, t = 1.87, p = 0.065). Within-assay coefficients of variation were lower for S-FPIA than for S-RIA (2.4% vs. 12.3%, p less than 0.001). Monoclonal FPIA is a precise and fast method, more suitable than RIA for therapeutic CsA monitoring in clinical practice. However, our results indicate a 25% higher mean CsA concentration by S-FPIA than by S-RIA (37% in HT recipients), which should be borne in mind until therapeutic and toxic ranges are established or a more specific FPIA method is developed.     

Evaluation of the AxSYM monoclonal cyclosporin assay and comparison with radioimmunoassay

Recently, a semiautomated fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) for determination of parent cyclosporin (CsA) has been developed for the Abbott AxSYM system. The new CsA assay measures the drug from an extracted whole blood specimen. The authors report here the evaluation of this new assay and the comparison with a previously validated radioimmunoassay (RIA) method (CYCLO-Trac SP). To assess the imprecision, the authors used tri-level controls supplied by both Abbott and Bio-Rad manufacturers. The within-run CV ranged from 4.4% to 7.3% and the between-day CV ranged from 4.4% to 7.6%. Mean recovery of the drug from clinical specimens spiked with kit calibrators was 108.4%. Fluorescence polarization immunoassay AxSYM (y) was correlated to RIA (x) by using 132 trough blood specimens (44 renal, 44 liver, and 44 heart) from transplant recipients and resulted in the following Passing-Bablok linear regression equation: y = 6.7 + 0.97x, r = 0.989, S(x/y) = 12.9. The percentage of overestimation (mean, range) by FPIA AxSYM versus RIA was (3.8%, range -17.7% to 39.1%). The results observed with this new method from follow-up studies in patients during the early course after transplant were not consistently higher than those obtained by RIA. These findings contrast with previously reported results that compared FPIA TDx assay with RIA. The authors conclude that FPIA AxSYM is a precise method for measuring CsA and offers results similar to those obtained by RIA with a marked reduction in assay time.