Altered clearance of sulphobromophthalein (BSP) in patients with pancreatic disease.

The components of the plasma disappearance curve of sulphobromophthalein--Ki, K2, K1--were analysed in 26 patients with pancreatic disease. The mean corrected initial disappearance rate constant, K1, in the patients significantly exceeded the published mean value in controls: all but four patients had a value equal to or higher than the upper limit of the reference range (mean +2 SD). The mean uncorrected initial disappearance rate constant, Ki, in the patients was not significantly different from the mean in controls but the mean of the second exponential, K2, was significantly reduced. At least one abnormality in the test (Ki, K2, K1) was present in 24 of the 26 patients studied (93%), although clinical evidence of hepatic dysfunction was generally unimpressive. The possible implications of the results are discussed with reference to previous studies.