Pattern and concentration of free and acetylated polyamines in urine of cirrhotic patients

The pattern and concentration of urinary, free, monoacetylated and total polyamines were determined in 31 cirrhotic patients, divided into three classes according to Child's classification, and in 28 healthy subjects. Cirrhotic patients had increased levels of free, monoacetylated and total polyamines. They also showed a significant increase in N1-acetylspermidine to N8-acetylspermidine molar ratio. Urinary polyamine excretion was not related to the severity of liver disease nor to the values of laboratory liver function tests. Furthermore, polyamine excretion was not significantly different in cirrhotics with or without diabetes or IGT, while plasma insulin and glucagon levels were increased in all cirrhotic patients. The results suggest that enhanced polyamine biosynthesis and catabolism, particularly N1-acetylation, occur in cirrhotic patients, probably due to hepatic regeneration and/or increased levels of insulin and glucagon.