Plasma levels of triamcinolone acetonide as determined by radioimmunoassay after topical application.

In this paper a method for the radioimmunological determination of triamcinolone acetonide (TAAc) in plasma is described. The antiserum used in the radioimmunological determinations showed high specifity for TAAc; the minimal detectable amount was 0.2 ng. The course of the plasma concentration-time curve of TAAc after intravenous injection into rats was analysed. The concentration of TAAc in the blood of the patients after topical application of the drug is very low. No detectable amount of TAAc was found in the blood of out-patients. Hospitalized patients treated with TAAc under plastic occlusion showed plasma levels ranging from 0.8 to 3.4 ng/ml. This level remained constant throughout the treatment.