Affiliations: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University
of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia | Department of Pharmacy, Flinders Medical Centre,
Adelaide, Australia | Department of Medicine, Flinders Medical Centre,
Adelaide, Australia | Department of Thoracic Medicine, Prince Charles
Hospital, Chermside, Queensland, Australia | Department of Immunology, Allergy and Arthritis,
Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide, Australia
Note: [] Correspondence: Wendy J. Siebert, Flinders Medical Centre,
Bedford Park, S. Australia, 5042, Tel.: + 61 8 8204 5511, Fax: +61 8 8204
5841
Abstract: Amiodarone is used to treat life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias.
Amiodarone-induced pulmonary toxicity (APT) can be difficult to diagnose. APT
may result in increased mucus production and mucin expression. Thus, serum
mucin-1 was evaluated as a marker for amiodarone-induced pulmonary toxicity.
Concentrations of mucin-1 in peripheral blood were determined using
cancer-associated serum antigen (CASA) assay in patients taking amiodarone.
Eight of ten patients who developed major amiodarone toxicity had high serum
CASA levels. Patients with toxicity had a significantly higher mean rank CASA
concentration compared with those without major toxicity. CASA shows potential
as a marker for amiodarone-induced toxicity, particularly pulmonary
toxicity.
