title: Phenylalanine kinetics in healthy volunteers and liver cirrhotics: implications for the phenylalanine breath test.
abstract: Expired 13CO2 recovery from an oral l-[1-13C]phenylalanine ([13C]Phe) dose has been used to quantify liver function. This parameter, however, does not depend solely on liver function but also on total CO2 production, Phe turnover, and initial tracer distribution. Therefore, we evaluated the impact of these factors on breath test values. Nine ethyl-toxic cirrhotic patients and nine control subjects received intravenously 2 mg/kg of [13C]Phe, and breath and blood samples were collected over 4 h. CO2 production was measured by indirect calorimetry. The exhaled 13CO2 enrichments were analyzed by isotope ratio mass spectrometry and the [13C]Phe and l-[1-13C]tyrosine enrichments by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The cumulative 13CO2 recovery was significantly lower in cirrhotic patients (7 vs. 12%; P < 0.01), in part due to lower total CO2 production rates. Phe turnover in cirrhotic patients was significantly lower (33 vs. 44 micro mol. kg(-1). h(-1); P < 0.05). When these extrahepatic factors were considered in the calculation of the Phe oxidation rate, the intergroup differences were even more pronounced (3 vs. 7 micro mol. kg(-1). h(-1)) than those for 13CO2 recovery data. Also, the Phe-to-Tyr conversion rate, another indicator of Phe oxidation, was significantly reduced (0.7 vs. 3.0 micro mol. kg(-1). h(-1)).
authors.affiliation: Sektion Anästhesiologische Pathophysiologie und Verfahrensentwicklung, Universitätsklinik für Anästhesiologie Ulm, und Abteilung Innere Medizin I, Medizinische Universitätsklinik und Poliklinik Ulm, 89070 Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tugtekin
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Wachter
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Barth
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Weidenbach
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Adler
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Georgieff
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Radermacher
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Vogt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001825:Body Fluid Compartments; D001944:Breath Tests; D002153:Calorimetry, Indirect; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010649:Phenylalanine / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D014443:Tyrosine; D010649:Phenylalanine