Related Experiment Videos
[1-(13)C] breath test of galactose and fructose for quantitative liver function
1Department of Pharmacology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173, Japan.
Background:
Using a rat model of hepatectomy, we investigated whether the severity of hepatopathy could be quantitatively measured from changes in expiratory (13)CO(2) levels after intravenous administration of [1-(13)C]fructose or [1-(13)C]galactose.
Materials And Methods:
Under nembutal anesthesia, 100 mg/kg of [1-(13)C]fructose or [1-(13)C]galactose was administered to rats via the femoral vein, and expiratory (13)CO(2) levels were measured for 120 min. Then, 30, 70, or 90% hepatectomy was performed. In the control group, simple laparotomy was performed. A breath test was conducted 20 min after laparotomy. We examined the correlation of a single point (13)CO(2) level (SP) every 5 min until 30 min, and at 45 and 60 min with liver wt/body wt (LW/BW) (%).
Results:
In the control group and all groups undergoing hepatectomy, the [1-(13)C]fructose breath test graph reached a plateau level at about 25 min. In the control group, the [1-(13)C]galactose breath test graph reached a plateau level, but in all groups undergoing hepatectomy a plateau level was not reached during measurement. The correlation coefficient between SP(5) after [1-(13)C]fructose administration and LW/BW was the highest, 0.656 (P = 0.0017). The correlation coefficient between SP(25) after [1-(13)C]galactose administration and LW/BW was the highest, 0.923 (P < 0.0001).
Conclusion:
In the breath test with intravenously administered [1-(13)C]fructose, hepatopathy could not be quantitatively evaluated accurately. However, hepatopathy could be quantitatively evaluated accurately by measuring SP(25) in the breath test with intravenously administered [1-(13)C]galactose over a short period.