Comparison of linear and non-linear equation for the calibration of roxithromycin analysis using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

Linear and non-linear regressions were used to derive the calibration function for the measurement of roxithromycin plasma concentration. Their results were compared with weighted least squares regression by usual weight factors. In this paper the performance of a non-linear calibration equation with the capacity to account empirically for the curvature, y = ax$^{b}$ + c (b $\neq$ 1) is compared with the commonly used linear equation, y = ax + b, as well as the quadratic equation, y = ax$^{2}$+ bx + c. In the calibration curve (range of 0.01 to 10 ${\mu}g/mL$) of roxithromycin, both heteroscedasticity and nonlinearity were present therefore linear least squares regression methods could result in large errors in the determination of roxithromycin concentration. By the non-linear and weighted least squares regression, the accuracy of the analytical method was improved at the lower end of the calibration curve. This study suggests that the non-linear calibration equation should be considered when a curve is required to be fitted to low dose calibration data which exhibit slight curvature.