Can quantitative tests of liver function discriminate between different etiologies of liver cirrhosis?

Department of Medicine I, University of Erlangen-Nuernberg, Germany.

Studies comparing quantitative testing of liver function (QTLF) in large numbers of patients with defined etiology of cirrhosis are lacking. In all 316 patients with proven cirrhosis underwent QTLF, including aminopyrine breath test (ABT), galactose elimination capacity (GEC), sorbitol (SCI), and indocyanine green clearance (ICG). Values were correlated with the Child-Pugh classification (CP) and the etiology of liver cirrhosis. Fifty-five percent of the patients had alcoholic cirrhosis (ALC), 31% cirrhosis due to viral hepatitis (VIC), and 14% primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). In all three groups there was a decrease of QTLF levels from CP grade A to C, which differed from normal values. QTLF was most compromised in patients with ALC and VIC compared to patients with PBC. In conclusion, QTLF in ALC and VIC patients was more reduced than in patients with PBC. This may be due to saturation of enzymes in ALC and ongoing inflammation in VIC.

PMID: 12498283 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]