title: Paracetamol (acetaminophen) clearance in patients with cirrhosis of the liver.
abstract: The pharmacokinetics of paracetamol were studied in 11 patients with cirrhosis of the liver and 12 controls. The average biological half-life after oral administration of 1 g paracetamol was significantly prolonged in patients with hepatic cirrhosis compared to the controls (3.7 hr vs.2.1 hr) and, correspondingly, the average  plasma clearance was significantly reduced from 337 ml x min-1 in the controls to 162 ml x min-1 in the patients with cirrhosis of the liver. After subchronic dosing of paracetamol with 1 g paracetamol t. i. d. the plasma half-lives of paracetamol remained unchanged. Steady-state levels of paracetamol were significantly increased in the patients with cirrhosis of the liver. A significant correlation between the values of plasma clearance of paracetamol and prothrombin time (r = +0.88), galactose elimination capacity (r = +0.66), plasma albumin (r = +0.85) was found. No clinical or biochemical signs of hepatotoxicity were observed during the study.
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000983:Antipyrine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood*; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011517:Prothrombin Time; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D012709:Serum Albumin; D000082:Acetaminophen; D000983:Antipyrine