• G D Anderson, C Pak, K W Doane, K G Griffy, N R Temkin, A J Wilensky, and H R Winn.
• Department of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, USA.
• Ann Pharmacother. 1997 Mar 1; 31 (3): 279-84.

ObjectiveTo develop a revised equation reflecting the current practice of measuring unbound phenytoin at room temperature, and to evaluate the revised Winter-Tozer method of predicting normalized total phenytoin concentrations in two groups of patients with hypoalbuminemia-elderly nursing home patients and critically ill head trauma patients.DesignAlbumin, unbound phenytoin, and total phenytoin concentrations were obtained from two sources: prospectively from a group of elderly nursing home patients and by a retrospective chart review of trauma patients enrolled in a previous double-blind, placebo-controlled study.SettingCommunity nursing homes; a university-affiliated urban teaching hospital.ParticipantsElderly nursing home patients (n = 46) taking chronic phenytoin therapy and patients enrolled in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study (n = 58) evaluating the use of phenytoin to prevent posttraumatic seizures.Main Outcome MeasuresPrediction error analysis was performed by using the methods proposed by Sheiner and Beal. Bias and precision were evaluated by calculating the mean prediction error (MPE) and root mean squared error (RMSE), respectively.ResultsThe Winter-Tozer equation consistently overpredicted the normalized phenytoin concentration in the elderly nursing home population (MPE = 3.2, RMSE = 5.9) and the trauma patients (MPE = 3.3, RMSE = 4.8). The equation was revised to reflect the increased protein binding of phenytoin with decreased temperature and resulted in significantly decreased bias in both groups of patients.ConclusionsThe revised equation is useful in predicting normalized phenytoin concentrations in both elderly nursing home patients and critically ill trauma patients.

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