Current and future use of "dried blood spot" analyses in clinical chemistry.

The analysis of blood spotted and dried on a matrix (i.e., "dried blood spot" or DBS) has been used since the 1960s in clinical chemistry; mostly for neonatal screening. Since then, many clinical analytes, including nucleic acids, small molecules and lipids, have been successfully measured using DBS. Although this pre-analytical approach represents an interesting alternative to classical venous blood sampling, its routine use is limited. Here, we review the application of DBS technology in clinical chemistry, and evaluate its future role supported by new analytical methods such as mass spectrometry.