D-propoxyphene and norpropoxyphene kinetics after the oral administration of D-propoxyphene: a new approach to liver function?

Horsmans, Yves;Desager, Jean-Pierre;Daenens, C.;Harvengt, C.;Geubel, André
(1994) Journal of Hepatology — Vol. 21, n° 3, p. 283-291 (1994)

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  • Desager, Jean-PierreUCLouvain
    Author
  • Daenens, C.
    Author
  • Harvengt, C.UCLouvain
    Author
  • Geubel, AndréUCLouvain
    Author
Abstract
In an attempt to design a liver function test which takes into account both portal-systemic shunting and hepatocellular dysfunction, we investigated a group of patients with cirrhosis with or without surgical porta-caval shunt for d-propoxyphene and its major metabolite, norpropoxyphene kinetics. A small dose of d-propoxyphene (0.7 mg/kg body weight) was given orally to seven normal subjects, 15 patients with cirrhosis and seven patients with cirrhosis and surgical portacaval shunt. D-propoxyphene and norpropoxyphene areas under the plasma concentration-time from 0 to 4-h (AUC) were determined by the trapezoidal method. As d-propoxyphene is a high extraction drug and since the production of norpropoxyphene should reflect the amount of d-propoxyphene available to the hepatocytes, we tested the hypothesis that norpropoxyphene/d-propoxyphene AUC ratios should reflect both the degree of portal-systemic shunting and the severity of hepatocyte dysfunction. Norpropoxyphene/d-propoxyphene AUC ratios were significantly lower in patients with cirrhosis (mean +/- S.D.: 0.92 +/- 0.59) than in controls (2.51 +/- 0.45) and also significantly lower in patients with cirrhosis and a surgical shunt (0.53 +/- 0.23) than in patients with cirrhosis but without surgical shunt (1.10 +/- 0.63). Moreover, there was an overall statistically significant correlation between norpropoxyphene/d-propoxyphene AUC ratios and branched to aromatic amino acids ratios (rs = 0.91) and fasting venous NH4 (rs = -0.63). On the other hand, there was only a weak correlation between norpropoxyphene/d-propoxyphene AUC ratios and the 14C-aminopyrine breath test (rs = 0.43). These data suggest that the norpropoxyphene/d-propoxyphene AUC ratio reflects both shunting and reduced hepatocellular function.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Horsmans, Y., Desager, J.-P., Daenens, C., Harvengt, C., & Geubel, A. (1994). D-propoxyphene and norpropoxyphene kinetics after the oral administration of D-propoxyphene: a new approach to liver function? Journal of Hepatology, 21(3), 283-291. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/69923 (Original work published 1994)