Penetration of Corticosteroids with Iontophoresis

Journal/Book: Z. Phys. Med. Baln. Med. Klim. 12 (1983) 226. 1983;

Abstract: Anschr. d. Verf.: Ch. Gobelet A. Follonier F. Meylan E. Maeder Physical medicine section of the Department of orthopedic surgery (Prof. J.-J. Livio M. D.) and Division of Biochemistry (J.-P. Felber M. D. Ass.-Prof.) University Hospital Lausanne/Switzerland The authors have studied the transcutaneous diffusion of radioactive 3 H Dexamethasone by iontophoresis an 12 volunteers. All the patients presented a post traumatic effusion of the knee. lontophoresis with radioactive 3 H Dexamethasone was achieved an 5 subjects and the knee was aspirated at the end of the treatment. In 7 other patients considered as controls the iontophoresis was done with physiological serum and the knee was also tapped after the treatment. The duration of the treatment was 30 to 45 minutes with an intensity of 0 2 mA/cm2 per electrode. The mean percentage of radioactivity found in synovial fluid measured with aßscintillator computer (Packard) after the treatment with radioactive 3 H Dexamethasone was 0 003 ± 0 002% of the administred dosage. The mean value alter treatment of the knee with physiological serum was 0 001 ± 0 0009% this last value being considered as a physiological contamination. We observe a statistical difference between patients who had received iontophoresis with Dexamethasone (0 003%) and physiological serum (0 001%) : (p<0 05). These findings suggest a very minimal active transcutaneous diffusion towards knee articulation of radioactive 3 H Dexamethasone with galvanic current. However this difference might also be due either to the contamination of the needle during the puncture of the skin alter the treatment or to a passive diffusion of 3 H Dexamethasone related to the duration of the treatment as demonstrated by James et al (1) an animals. Anyway these results in humans confirm the very low electrophoretic capacity of corticosteroids as already demonstrated in vitro by Gangarosa et al. (2). ___MH

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