Serum digoxin concentration and half-life in newborn

Abstract

Serum digoxin concentration and half-life were radioimmunologically determined in 9 mature newborns after 7 days medication with digoxin. The newborns were in respiratory distress treated with continuous positive airway pressure or were suspected to have serious congenital heart disease. Loading dose was 26 mug/kg body weight intravenously and 35 mug/kg body weight orally, respectively. Maintenance dose corresponded to 1/8th of the digitalization dose twice daily. The serum digoxin level 12 h after the last dose varied between 1.4 and 2.5 ng/ml (mean 2.0 ng/ml, Sx=0.4). The serum half-life of digoxin varied between 21.7 and 42.4 h (mean 30.0 h, Sx=7.7). The mean serum half-life of digoxin of 30 h attained values found in adults without renal disease. This suggests that the serum digoxin levels of newborns which are usually higher if compared with those of adults result from higher digoxin doses per unit body weight and not from diminished digoxin elimination.