Development of a novel LC-MS/MS method for concurrent determination of imipenem, relebactam, and cilastatin in human serum, urine and peritoneal drainage fluid

Abstract

With the global spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria have become a major challenge in clinical treatment. ‘Imipenem, Cilastatin Sodium and Relebactam for Injection’ is a critical therapeutic agent for treating infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. However, it is associated with gastrointestinal adverse reactions, necessitating therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) for precise dosing. Currently, there is no method for simultaneously detecting the concentrations of all three components in ‘Imipenem, Cilastatin Sodium and Relebactam for Injection’. Therefore, this study established an analytical method based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for the simultaneous quantification of imipenem, relebactam, and cilastatin in serum, urine, and peritoneal drainage fluid (PD). After protein precipitation, samples were separated using a CORTECS^® HILIC column with 5 mM ammonium acetate aqueous solution-acetonitrile as the mobile phase for gradient elution, detected in positive electrospray ionization (ESI+) mode. This LC-MS/MS method showed excellent linearity (R² > 0.99) for all three drugs, and the linearity ranges had well met the clinical requirements. The limits of quantification (LOQ) were 40 ng/mL (serum/ PD) and 80 ng/mL (urine), and the carryover contamination rate was < 0.1%. All intra-day and inter-day coefficients of variation (CVs) were < 15%, the recovery rates ranged from 89.7% to 103.2%, and the matrix effects were acceptable (87.7%–110.8%). In conclusion, this LC-MS/MS method is simple to operate, exhibits high sensitivity and accuracy, and meets the requirements for the TDM of ‘Imipenem, Cilastatin Sodium and Relebactam for Injection’, providing support for individualized treatment and reducing the risk of adverse reactions.