title: Biological variation and the effect of fasting and halothane anesthesia on plasma glutathione S-transferase concentrations.
abstract: Using a specific RIA, we have investigated in patients and volunteers whether fasting, diminished hepatic clearance, hemoconcentration, or within-day biological variation might be responsible for the transient increases in plasma glutathione S-transferase (GST) concentration observed after anesthesia. GST concentration was measured in 44 healthy volunteers after an overnight fast and at 3, 6, and 24 h after the fasting sample. The concentration was significantly lower at 3 and 6 h after than in the fasting sample (P = 0.0019 and P = 0.015, respectively). The change in GST concentration caused by fasting was examined in 30 subjects by comparing pre- and postfasting values. Fasting had no significant effect on GST concentration overall (P = 0.4721), but two individuals showed a marked increase in GST concentration after fasting overnight. In a separate study of 10 patients, plasma amylase activity and plasma concentrations of GST and albumin were measured immediately before and 3 h after induction of halothane anesthesia. Although GST concentration was increased at 3 h in each of the 10 patients, plasma amylase activity and plasma albumin concentration were significantly decreased in all patients (P = 0.002). Apparently, increases in GST concentration after anesthesia do not result from incidental factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthetics, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, NHS Trust, UK.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Aldridge
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Spens
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Drummond
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Howie
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Beckett
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000681:Amylases / Q000097:blood; D000758:Anesthesia; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000097:blood*; D006221:Halothane / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012709:Serum Albumin; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D000681:Amylases; D006221:Halothane