ASSESSMENT OF MONOETHYLGLYCINEXYLIDIDE AS MEASURE OF LIVER-FUNCTION FOR PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC VIRAL-HEPATITIS

The liver metabolizes lidocaine by oxidative deethylation to form mono ethylglycinexylidide (MEGX), an analyte proposed as an index of liver function. We determined MEGX and lidocaine serum concentrations with t he TDx (Abbott Laboratories) at baseline and 15, 30, 60, and 90 min af ter the intravenous administration of lidocaine (1 mg/kg), analyzing s pecimens from 12 apparently healthy volunteers and 40 patients with ch ronic viral hepatitis diagnosed by liver biopsy and serum tests, The p atients were grouped on the basis of the histology activity index. The following]laboratory tests were performed on serum specimens from all subjects: albumin (ALE), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate am inotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, and proth rombin time. The results showed no significant difference among the fo ur groups for tile concentrations of MEGX, lidocaine, and lidocaine/ME GX at the four time points. However, the concentrations of ALB, ALT, A ST, AST/ALT, and prothrombin time were substantially different among t he four groups. Thus, we conclude that assay of MEGX in our patients w ith chronic viral hepatitis did not contribute to the assessment of li ver function when compared with 1 apparently healthy volunteers and tr aditional tests of liver function.