Aminopyrine disposition: Studies on breath, saliva, and urine of normal subjects and patients with liver disease

Abstract

To investigate aminopyrine disposition, breath, saliva, and urine were collected from 25 control patients, 15 patients with hepatocellular disease, and 26 patients with hepatic neoplasm after oral administration of 2 µCi [¹⁴C]aminopyrine. The percentage ¹⁴C excreted in breath ¹⁴CO₂ in 2 hr (aminopyrine breath test, ABT) correlated with the breath ¹⁴CO₂ elimination rate (r = 0.92, p < 0.01), with the aminopyrine metabolic clearance rate (MCR) (r = 0.85, p < 0.01), and with the plasma half‐life of 4‐aminoantipyrine (r = −0.54, p < 0.05). The ABT permits study of aminopyrine disposition with simplicity, accuracy, and safety.