Usefulness of N-dimethyl-13 C-aminopyrine breath test in the diagnosis of liver disease

N-dimethyl-13C-aminopyrine breath test was performed in patients with liver disease and healthy controls to compare cumulative 13CO2% dose per 3 hrs expired during breathing. Expired cumulative values were significantly lower in patients with liver cirrhosis than in healthy controls. They were also significantly lower in cirrhosis patients with a history of hepatic insufficiency than in patients without it. However, there was no significant difference between patients with esophageal varices and patients without it. A significant difference was observed between patients with chronic active hepatitis than in healthy controls, but not observed between patients with chronic inactive hepatitis and healthy controls. They did not correlate with sGOT or sGPT, but correlated with prothrombin levels or serum albumin levels. (Namekawa, K.)