The aminopyrine breath test predicts the outcome of hepatic transplantation in pigs.
The aminopyrine breath test has been performed on Day 1 and Day 7 in pigs following experimental liver allografting. The results show that at 24 hr after surgery there was a significant reduction in liver function in all animals as measured by the elimination rate constant of 14CO2 in the breath. This was very profound in the group that died within 5 days (0.09 +/- 0.01 hr-1) and was significantly different from the group that survived (0.16 +/- 0.01 hr-1). There appears to be a critical value of the elimination rate constant (= 0.12 hr-1) which predicts death within 5 days. These results would justify a trial of the aminopyrine breath test in patients after liver transplantation.
Oakland
C D
CD
Department of Surgery, University of Cape Town, Observatory, South Africa.
Hickman
R
R
Terblanche
J
J
D000632:Aminopyrine / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D001944:Breath Tests; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D011379:Prognosis; D013552:Swine
D000632:Aminopyrine