RESEARCH - The bioavailability of IVMP and oral prednisone in multiple sclerosis

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NEUROLOGY 2004;63:1079-1080

© 2004 American Academy of Neurology

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Brief Communications

The bioavailability of IV methylprednisolone and oral prednisone in multiple

sclerosis

S. A. Morrow, MD, C. A. Stoian, MD MSc, J. Dmitrovic, MSc, S. C. Chan, PhD

and L. M. Metz, MD FRCPC

From the Department of Clinical Neurosciences (Dr. Morrow), University of

Western Ontario, London, Ontario; and the Department of Clinical

Neurosciences (Drs. Stoian and Metz) and Departments of Pharmacology and

Therapeutics/Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (Mr. Dmitrovic and Dr. Chan),

University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Luanne Metz, Foothills

Hospital, 1403-29th Street NW, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 2T9; e-mail:

lmetz@...

Oral prednisone might be a convenient, inexpensive alternative to IV

methylprednisolone (IVMP) if the bioequivalent dose was known. We compared

the total amount of steroid absorbed after 1250 mg oral prednisone vs 1 gram

IVMP in 16 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). At 24 hours, the mean area

under the concentration-time curve (AUC), the main component of

bioavailability, did not differ between groups (p = 0.122). This suggests

that the amount of absorbed corticosteroid is similar after either steroid

at these doses.

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Received April 7, 2004. Accepted in final form June 9, 2004.

http://www.neurology.org/cgi/content/abstract/63/6/1079

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