BACKGROUND: To grade liver damage, Child-Pugh classification is used but these tests do not reflect the quantitative functional hepatic reserve. AIMS: 13C-Phenylalanine Breath Test and 13C-Methacetin Breath Test are evaluated as possible tools, being both safe and easy to perform, to quantify functional hepatic reserve in chronic liver disease patients. PATIENTS: Both tests were performed in 48 healthy volunteers and 48 chronic liver disease patients. METHODS: Breath samples were collected after taking 13C-Phenylalanine (100 mg) and 13C-Methacetin (75 mg). 13CO2 enrichment was measured using mass spectrometry RESULTS: Both tests discriminated the hepatic function, decreasing results of the 13CO2 enrichment agreeing with the increasing severity of the hepatic patient (13C-Phenylalanine Breath Test multiple correlation coefficient: 0.72, global p<0.001; Methacetin Breath Test: 0.73, p<0.001). Correlation between 13C-Phenylalanine Breath Test and Methacetin Breath Test was 0.63, p<0.001. If both tests were pathological, the sensitivity for the diagnosis of hepatic dysfunction was high (98%), although the specificity decreased to 60%. Best results were obtained at 30 minutes with 13C-Phenylalanine Breath Test and at 10 minutes with Methacetin Breath Test. CONCLUSIONS: Both 13C-Phenylalanine Breath Test and Methacetin Breath Test are safe and easy tests to perform and both are able to discriminate the hepatic functional capacity between the different groups studied.
BACKGROUND: To grade liver damage, Child-Pugh classification is used but these tests do not reflect the quantitative functional hepatic reserve. AIMS: 13C-Phenylalanine Breath Test and 13C-Methacetin Breath Test are evaluated as possible tools, being both safe and easy to perform, to quantify functional hepatic reserve in chronic liver diseasepatients. PATIENTS: Both tests were performed in 48 healthy volunteers and 48 chronic liver diseasepatients. METHODS: Breath samples were collected after taking 13C-Phenylalanine (100 mg) and 13C-Methacetin (75 mg). 13CO2 enrichment was measured using mass spectrometry RESULTS: Both tests discriminated the hepatic function, decreasing results of the 13CO2 enrichment agreeing with the increasing severity of the hepatic patient (13C-Phenylalanine Breath Test multiple correlation coefficient: 0.72, global p<0.001; Methacetin Breath Test: 0.73, p<0.001). Correlation between 13C-Phenylalanine Breath Test and Methacetin Breath Test was 0.63, p<0.001. If both tests were pathological, the sensitivity for the diagnosis of hepatic dysfunction was high (98%), although the specificity decreased to 60%. Best results were obtained at 30 minutes with 13C-Phenylalanine Breath Test and at 10 minutes with Methacetin Breath Test. CONCLUSIONS: Both 13C-Phenylalanine Breath Test and Methacetin Breath Test are safe and easy tests to perform and both are able to discriminate the hepatic functional capacity between the different groups studied.
Authors: D Festi; S Capodicasa; L Sandri; L Colaiocco-Ferrante; T Staniscia; E Vitacolonna; A Vestito; P Simoni; G Mazzella; P Portincasa; E Roda; A Colecchia Journal: World J Gastroenterol Date: 2005-01-07 Impact factor: 5.742
Authors: Maciej Malinowski; Maximilian Jara; Katja Lüttgert; James Orr; Johan Friso Lock; Eckart Schott; Martin Stockmann Journal: Dig Dis Sci Date: 2014-07-04 Impact factor: 3.199
Authors: I Gallardo-Wong; S Morán; G Rodríguez-Leal; B Castañeda-Romero; R Mera; J Poo; M Uribe; M Dehesa Journal: World J Gastroenterol Date: 2007-09-14 Impact factor: 5.742