The Role of the Liver in Guanidoacetic Acid Metabolism in Man

Abstract

In 15 detns. on 8 [female] adults, the ratio, guanidoacetic acid (GA)/total creatinine + GA (GA index), in the urine was 0.03-0.05 with an avg. value of 0.043 + 0.006. The GA index of 10 [female] patients with cirrhosis of the liver was 0.040-0.17 and appeared to be related to the degree of cirrhosis. The excretion of GA by the normal 9 was related to the menstrual cycle with maximum urinary excretion at mid-cycle. After oral or intraven. use of GA, patients with cirrhosis showed significantly higher elevations of the GA index than did normal controls.