Colchicine disposition in patients with familial Mediterranean fever with renal impairment.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the pharmacokinetics of serum colchicine in patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) with renal impairment.


METHODS
Using a specific radioimmunoassay we determined serum colchicine concentration at various time points following oral administration of a single dose of the drug.


RESULTS
Patients with renal insufficiency had a mean +/- SD apparent total colchicine clearance of 0.168 +/- 0.063 l/h/kg, apparent volume of distribution of 4.56 +/- 1.64 l/kg and elimination half-life (t1/2) of 18.8 +/- 1.2 h. Patients with FMF with normal kidney function had a mean clearance of 0.726 +/- 0.110 l/h/kg, volume of distribution of 4.87 +/- 2.05 l/kg and terminal t1/2 of 4.4 +/- 1.0 h.


CONCLUSIONS
The kidneys have an important role in the clearance of colchicine. Caution should be exercised in the use of colchicine in patients with renal insufficiency.
Division of Medicine, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
E
E
Ben-Chetrit
J M
JM
Scherrmann
E
E
Zylber-Katz
M
M
Levy
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D003078:Colchicine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D010505:Familial Mediterranean Fever / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D006435:Renal Dialysis
D003078:Colchicine