title: Colchicine concentration in leukocytes of patients with familial Mediterranean fever.
abstract: Free and total plasma, granulocyte and mononuclear cell colchicine concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay in 30 patients with familial Mediterranean fever treated with colchicine 0.5 to 2 mg day-1. Colchicine concentrations showed a large intersubject variability in plasma (0.13-1.75 ng ml-1), granulocytes (4 to 64 ng/10(9) cells), and mononuclear cells (11.4 to 57.6 ng/10(9) cells). Whereas unbound and total plasma colchicine concentrations were well correlated, no correlation was found between total or free plasma and granulocyte or mononuclear cell colchicine concentrations and dose of administered colchicine. In contrast, total or free plasma and granulocyte or mononuclear cell colchicine concentrations were correlated using a hyperbolic function indicating saturable colchicine distribution in both leukocyte populations.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biologie Vasculaire et Cellulaire, Université Paris 7, Hôpital Lariboisière, France.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Chappey
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Niel
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dervichian
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wautier
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Scherrmann
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cattan
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003078:Colchicine / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010505:Familial Mediterranean Fever / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D003078:Colchicine