Antipyrine kinetics in Nigerian women in chronic renal failure

Antipyrine was given orally to five patients with Chronic renal failure and nine normal subjects. Plasma antipyrine levels were measured by high pressure liquid chromatography method, the plasma half-life of the drug was determined and used as an index of drug oxidation. The mean (+/- s.d.) plasma antipyrine half-life in patients with chronic renal failure (7.8 +/- 2.6 h) was significantly shorter than in normal subjects (13.1 +/- 2.3 h) (P less than 0.001). There was no significant difference in the volume of distribution but there was a significant difference in the clearance in ml.kg-1h-1 (P less than 0.001). The results suggest that oxidation of antipyrine by hepatic microsomal enzymes is increased in patients with chronic renal failure. The role of this in the apparent resistance among our patients to antihypertensive agents needs further study.