[Evaluation of correlation between the disappearance rate of indocyanine green and the maximum removal rate]

The disappearance rate of indocyanine green (K.ICG) and the maximum removal rate (Rmax) usually correlate with each other. However, in some cases it was shown there was a dissociation between them. We investigated the relationship between the two rates in 146 subjects. K.ICG and Rmax correlated strongly with a correlation coefficient of 0.749 (p less than 0.001). Sixty-six cases were included in the limits of 95% confidence, and the other 80 cases outside the limits were defined as dissociated cases. Among them a lower Rmax rate as compared to the K.ICG rate was found in many cases of obstructive jaundice. Particularly a lower K.ICG rate compared to the Rmax rate was found in many cases of liver cirrhosis accompanied by esophageal varices and idiopathic portal hypertension. On the other hands, we performed multiple regression analysis on 12 other liver function tests. K.ICG was strongly related to platelet count, circulatory blood volume, and albumin, all factors relating to portal hypertension. Rmax largely depended on LCAT, A/G ratio, and cholinesterase, which are Therefore, the dissociation between K.ICG and Rmax was caused by differences in the characteristic of each disease.