Curable tuberculosis (TB) is always treated with multiple antibiotics. If patients do not complete their antibiotic course, the treatment might not work. This can lead to drug-resistant TB instead. To prevent this, researchers wanted to know when was best to test whether patients are taking their medication and whether they can tell how much medication patients had taken.
According to Dr. Onno Akkerman, a pulmonary physician from the UMCG specializing in tuberculosis, collecting samples for the study was very simple. “We asked patients to wash their hands and then put on a nitrile glove to induce sweating. They then had to make a fingerprint on a paper square,” explains Akkerman. “Finger sweat poses no health risk, unlike blood. It doesn’t require specialized training to collect, and it’s easier to transport and store.”
The researchers analysed the samples at the Surrey Ion Beam Centre using mass spectrometry. This is a technique that breaks down samples to identify the molecules and atoms they contain. They could detect antibiotics in finger sweat with 96% accuracy, which could be done between one and six hours after taking the medication. The metabolite, the substance produced during the breakdown of a drug in the body, was detected with 77% accuracy. This showed up best after six hours.
Dr. Katie Longman from the University of Surrey highlights that using finger sweat is quicker and more convenient than taking blood. “Doctors need to check whether tuberculosis patients are taking their medication. This new method could ease the time pressure on a busy health service,” she says.
On top of that, the new approach is more comfortable for patients. “For some patients, like babies, blood tests are not feasible or desirable.” adds dr. Marieke Sturkenboom, a hospital pharmacist and clinical pharmacologist from the UMCG. “This technique is very promising, not only for medication adherence but possibly also as a selection of patients who really need undergo intensive bloodsampling to optimize their treatment.”
The researchers strongly believe that this project might be the start of future collaboration between the two institutes for research with other anti-TB drugs.
