Metabolism of low-dose paracetamol in patients with chronic neurological disease.

1. Low dose (500 mg) paracetamol (acetaminophen) was administered to patients with Parkinson's disease, motor neurone disease and to age-matched controls. 2. At this low dose level the controls excreted proportionately more sulphate and less glucuronide conjugate than has been reported for administration of 1000 mg of paracetamol. 3. Both groups of patients with chronic neurological disease excreted decreased amounts of paracetamol sulphate (control mean 11.2 +/- 5.4% dose; Parkinson's disease 3.9 +/- 3.7%; motor neurone disease, 5.0 +/ 4.1%). 4. The mean ratio of excretion of paracetamol sulphate/paracetamol glucuronide was 5.6 +/- 11.7 in controls, but 1.1 +/- 1.7 and 1.2 +/- 1.7 in Parkinson's disease and motor neurone disease respectively. These differences are statistically significant (p less than 0.001).