Search

Background: There are few data on the use of the [sup 13] C-aminopyrine breath test to evaluate the severity of disease in patients with hepatitis C virus-related chronic liver disease, although these patients represent one of the most important problems in clinical hepatology. Aims: To compare [sup 13] C-aminopyrine breath test results of patients with hepatitis C virus-related chronic hepatitis and Child–Pugh class A cirrhosis with those of normal subjects, and to evaluate different methods of expressing [sup 13] C-aminopyrine breath test results. Methods: Twenty-four patients with hepatitis C virus-related chronic hepatitis and 17 patients with Child–Pugh class A cirrhosis underwent [sup 13] C-aminopyrine breath test. Breath samples were collected every 30 min up to 2 h after [sup 13] C-aminopyrine administration. [sup 13] C-Aminopyrine breath test results were expressed as a percentage of the administered dose of [sup 13] C recovered per hour (% dose/h) and the cumulative percentage of administered dose of [sup 13] C recovered over time (% dose cum). Nineteen healthy subjects served as controls. Patients with hepatitis C virus-related chronic hepatitis were divided into subgroups on the basis of histological staging and grading. Results: The [sup 13] C-aminopyrine breath test result (% dose/h) at 30 min was significantly different among the three subgroups of subjects (normal subjects, 11.5 ± 3.5; chronic hepatitis patients, 8.1 ± 4.1; cirrhosis patients, 5.0 ± 3.1; P < 0.0005). Moreover, the differences between chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis patients were statistically significant (P < 0.03). The fibrosis score showed a significant inverse correlation with the [sup 13] C-aminopyrine breath test result (% dose/h) at 30 min (r[sub s] =- 0.409, P =0.05). The [sup 13] C-aminopyrine breath test result (% dose/h) at 30 min also allowed normal subjects and chronic hepatitis patients with low (≤ 2) or high (> 2) fibrosis scores... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]