| Title | Amiodarone concentrations in plasma and fat tissue during chronic treatment and related toxicity. | | Author(s) | Lafuente-Lafuente C, Alvarez JC, Leenhardt A, Mouly S, Extramiana F, Caulin C, Funck-Brentano C, Bergmann JF | | Institution | AP-HP, Hôpital Lariboisière, Department of Internal Medicine A, Paris, France. lafuente@nodo3.net | | Source | Br J Clin Pharmacol 2009 May; 67(5):511-9. | | Abstract | AIMS: To determine if amiodarone, highly lipophilic, accumulates in excess with respect to dose in fat tissue during long-term administration, and study if plasma and fat tissue concentrations are correlated with adverse effects. METHODS: Trough concentrations of amiodarone and N-desethyl-amiodarone were measured simultaneously in plasma and fat tissue, in 30 consecutive patients treated with amiodarone for 3 months to 12 years. Subcutaneous adipose tissue was obtained by needle aspiration from lumbar and abdominal areas. Concentrations were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Plasma levels of amiodarone and N-desethyl-amiodarone were significantly correlated with daily maintenance doses (R= 0.52, P= 0.003). Amiodarone concentrations in fat tissue were four to 226 times (mean 55) higher than in plasma, and well correlated with plasma levels (R= 0.68, P < 0.001). Concentrations of amiodarone and N-desethyl-amiodarone in adipose tissue did not significantly increase with higher total cumulated doses or longer treatment duration. Nine of 12 patients who had received amiodarone for > or =2 years developed clinically important adverse effects, predominantly hypothyroidism (n= 6), compared with two of 18 patients treated for less time (relative risk 6.75; 95% confidence interval 1.8, 26). The incidence of those adverse effects was not significantly associated with amiodarone concentrations, whether in plasma or in adipose tissue. CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence of excessive or unexpected accumulation of amiodarone in fat tissue on long-term administration. Late amiodarone adverse effects, particularly hypothyroidism, are associated with longer exposure times, but do not seem to be explained by higher concentrations in plasma or in fat tissue. | | Language | eng | | Pub Type(s) | Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
| | PubMed ID | 19552745 |
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