ELIMINATION OF PARACETAMOL IN CHRONIC LIVER-DISEASE

Abstract

Serum concentrations of paracetamol were followed after oral administration of the drug to 21 patients with liver cirrhosis, 4 patients with secondary liver cancer, and 15 hospitalized patients without clinical evidence of liver disease. The cirrhotic patients had 50% longer half-lives of the drug. They also had significantly higher values of AUC during the first 360 min, in spite of almost identical mean values of Cmax and tCmax [time for maximum serum concentration]. Significant differences in paracetamol elimination between cirrhotics with and without ascites, or between cirrhotic with and without porto-caval shunt could not be demonstrated.