Dermal penetration of fentanyl: inter- and intraindividual variations.

Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid that is increasingly being used in transdermal drug delivery systems. The target organ concentration of a drug administered dermally will depend on the rate of dermal absorption and the systemic elimination. We have studied the intra- and interindividual variation in dermal penetration of fentanyl in an in vitro model (static diffusion cells) with human skin, and compared the absorption of fentanyl from an aqueous solution with absorption from a commercial patch. The intraindividual variation in dermal penetration of fentanyl in aqueous solution was limited (18%) and no differences in penetration characteristics were observed between breast and abdominal skin. The interindividual variation in dermal penetration of fentanyl was extensive, with maximal fluxes ranging from 21-105 ng/cm2/hr following application of an infinite dose of fentanyl to the donor chamber. Use of transdermal drug delivery systems (patches) reduced the inter-individual variation. The permeability coefficients after application of fentanyl in aqueous solution and through patches were identical (0.0011 cm/hr). One person had a higher than average penetration rate following patch application, which may indicate that the human skin and not the patch barrier was the rate-determining factor for the other individuals included in this study.