Effect of digoxin fab antibody on the measurement of total and free digitoxin by fluorescence polarization and a new chemiluminescent immunoassay

Digoxin fab antibody (Digibind; Burroughs Wellcome, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA) is used in the treatment of digoxin overdose. The effect of digibind on the measurement of total and free digoxin has been extensively studied. However, the effect of digibind on digitoxin measurements has not been studied thoroughly. The authors studied the effect of digibind on the measurement of total and free digitoxin in vitro using the fluorescence polarization immunoassay and a new chemiluminescent immunoassay. We also studied the capability of digibind to bind digitoxigenin, the major aglycon metabolite of digitoxin. Digibind neutralized both digitoxin and digitoxigenin in vitro, as evidenced by significant reductions in free digitoxin and digitoxigenin (measured as digitoxin equivalent) concentrations. Digibind caused negative interference in the measurement of total digitoxin concentrations by both fluorescence polarization and chemiluminescent assays. However, the magnitude of negative interference was significantly higher with the chemiluminescent assay. For example, in a serum pool supplemented with 80 ng/mL of digitoxin, the concentrations of total and free digitoxin measured by the fluorescence polarization immunoassay were 82.1 ng/mL and 3.3 ng/mL respectively. In the presence of 5 microg/mL of Digibind, the corresponding total and free digitoxin concentrations were 73.9 ng/mL and none detected, respectively. In another serum pool supplemented with 70 ng/mL of digitoxin, the concentrations of total and free digitoxin as measured by the chemiluminescent assay were 69.1 ng/mL and 3.8 ng/mL, respectively. In the presence of 5 microg/mL of Digibind, the corresponding total and free digitoxin concentrations were 29.0 ng/mL and none detected, respectively. Because this effect may also occur in vivo, the progress of Digibind therapy in treating a patient with digitoxin overdose may be monitored by measuring the free digitoxin concentrations.