[Evaluation of antipyrine clearance in chronic liver diseases]

Antipyrine (AP) clearance was determined in 23 cases with liver cirrhosis (LC), 12 with chronic active hepatitis (CAH), 12 with hepatocellular carcinoma (mcHCC), 20 with non-hepatic diseases and 70 healthy controls. ICG Clearance was performed simultaneously in 9 cases of them. The results showed that AP clearance was significantly decreased in patients with LC and moderately decreased in CAH and HCC, its diagnostic sensitivity in LC was significantly higher than that of GPT. The significant positive correlation between the AP and ICG clearance was noted and AP clearance also well correlated with serum albumin level and prothrombin time. It is suggested that AP clearance may be used as a quantitative test to determine the reserve capacity of liver and as a substitutive test for ICG clearance.