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Relationship between digoxin concentrations in serum and saliva
Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
|March 1, 1975
Summary
Saliva digoxin levels accurately reflect serum concentrations, offering a convenient alternative for monitoring digoxin therapy. This method is especially useful for patients who find blood sampling challenging.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Chemistry
Background:
- Digoxin is a critical medication for treating heart conditions.
- Monitoring digoxin levels is essential for therapeutic efficacy and safety.
- Serum digoxin measurement is the standard, but can be invasive.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the correlation between serum and saliva digoxin concentrations.
- To determine the feasibility of using saliva for digoxin monitoring.
Main Methods:
- Serum and saliva samples were collected from 18 patients on digoxin therapy.
- Saliva samples required chloroform extraction for accurate digoxin quantitation.
- Digoxin concentrations were measured in both serum and saliva.
Main Results:
- A strong positive linear correlation (r = +0.988) was found between serum and saliva digoxin levels.
- The mean saliva/serum digoxin ratio was 0.78 ± 0.07.
- Free digoxin is in equilibrium between serum and saliva due to 23% plasma protein binding.
Conclusions:
- Saliva digoxin concentration is a reliable indicator of serum digoxin levels.
- Saliva monitoring offers a non-invasive alternative for digoxin therapy management.
- This approach is particularly beneficial for patients with difficulties in blood sampling.