Evaluating the Risk of Digitalis Intoxication Associated With Concomitant Use of Dronedarone and Digoxin Using Real-World Data

PurposeDronedarone may increase digoxin plasma levels through inhibition of P-glycoprotein. Using real-world data, we evaluated the risk of digitalis intoxication in concomitant users of dronedarone and digoxin compared digoxin-alone users.MethodsWe used the Clinformatics DataMart, a US claims database, to identify adult patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter (AFL) who concomitantly used dronedarone and digoxin and those who used digoxin alone between July 2009 and March 2016. Digitalis intoxication during follow-up until March 2016 was ascertained using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) and International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM). Adjusted hazard ratios (HR) for digitalis intoxication in concomitant users versus users of digoxin alone were estimated, controlling for age, sex, cohort entry year, number of medical encounters for AF or AFL, history of congestive heart failure, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, myocardial infarction, renal failure, use of drugs interacting with digoxin, and digoxin dose.FindingsOverall, 524 concomitant users and 32,459 users of digoxin alone were identified, among which 3 and 301 events of digitalis intoxication occurred during follow-up, respectively. Incidence rates were 17.25 and 9.17 cases per 1000 person-years, respectively. The adjusted HR for digitalis intoxication in concomitant users versus users of digoxin alone was 1.56 (95% CI, 0.50-4.88; P = 0.45). When digitalis intoxication was defined by ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM codes accompanied by laboratory testing for digoxin/digitoxin or hospitalization within 30 days, no events occurred in the concomitant users and 40 events occurred in the users of digoxin alone (incidence rate of 1.22 cases per 1000 person-years).ImplicationsConcomitant use of dronedarone and digoxin was uncommon in this study, and no significant increase in the risk of digitalis intoxication with concomitant use was found.