L-[1-13C]phenylalanine breath test in patients with chronic liver disease of different etiologies

• Published in: Isotopes in environmental and health studies 2009-09, Vol.45 (3), p.192-197
• Main Authors: Moran, Segundo, Gallardo-Wong, Irazu, Rodriguez-Leal, Gustavo, Mccollough, Paulina, Mendez, Jorge, Castañeda, Beatriz, Milke, Pilar, Jacobo, Janet, Dehesa, Margarita
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: A.1; breath test; Breath Tests; Carbon Isotopes; carbon-13; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - metabolism; cirrhosis; diagnostic isotope application in medicine; E.5; Female; Hepatitis C - metabolism; Humans; J.3; Liver - metabolism; Liver Cirrhosis - metabolism; liver disease; Liver Diseases - metabolism; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic - metabolism; Liver Neoplasms - metabolism; Male; men; Middle Aged; Oxidation-Reduction; phenylalanine; Phenylalanine - analysis; stable isotope tracer techniques; Time Factors
• ISSN: 1025-6016; 1477-2639
• DOI: 10.1080/10256010903083995

The aim of this study was to compare the oxidation of l-[1- 13 C]phenylalanine ( 13 C-PheOx) in patients with chronic liver failure due to different etiologies using l-[1- 13 C]phenylalanine breath test. Breath samples were collected before the administration of 100 mg l-[1- 13 C]phenylalanine, and every 10 min thereafter until completion of 1 h. Control subjects (n=9) presented a larger cumulative percentage of 13 C dose recovery (CPDR) than patients (n=124) with chronic liver disease, regardless of the etiology (7.5±0.7 vs. 4.2±0.2, p=0.001). No differences in CPDR were found considering the Child-Pugh (CP) class or etiology: alcoholic (CP A=7.7±0.7, CP B=4.1±0.5, CP C=2.0±0.3), hepatitis C virus (CP A=5.4±0.5, CP B=4.0±0.2, CP C=2.2±0.3), hepatocellular carcinoma (CP A=5.5±1.6, CP B=3.6±1.8, CP C=2.2±1.0); or cryptogenic cirrhotic patients (CP A=7.4±1.5, CP B=4.4±0.4, CP C=2.1±0.7). Results confirm that 13 C-PheOx decreases in patients with cirrhosis with respect to controls, notwithstanding the etiology.