Relationship between digoxin serum concentration and body mass index

Digoxin is a relatively lipophilic drug and its dosage is calculated by patient’s ideal weight. However, in clinical practice body mass index (BMI) can affect drug distribution and thus, serum digoxin concentration of patients. Main objective of this study is to determine the possible relationship between BMI and serum digoxin concentration (SDC). In addition, to analyze whether gender influences this relationship. Retrospective analysis of SDC of patients from January 2012 to February 2015 in a Spanish teaching hospital. SDC were obtained by immunoassay test. Statistical analysis was done by using an ANOVA, Chi-square test (X²) and Fisher’s exact test. Patients SDC classified by their BMI group (normal, overweight and obesity) showed a p Value for the ANOVA test of 0.038 with statistical significance (p <0.05). Chi-square value between BMI and high SDC was 2.78 and incidence for intoxicated patients by gender was 15% and 7.1% on women or men, respectively. There is a statistical inverse correlation between serum digoxin concentrations and BMI. However, there is not statistical significance between BMI and digoxin intoxications. Moreover, digoxin intoxications separated by gender have not signi?cant relationship with BMI