CAFFEINE TEST ASSESSMENT FOR MEASURING LIVER-FUNCTION IN CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS

Caffeine elimination was studied in 73 patients admitted to an intensi ve care unit, 33 of whom had liver disease. Mean plasma clearance of c affeine in patients with no liver disease (1.30 +/- 0.79 ml/kg/min) wa s significantly higher than in patients with liver disease (0.39 +/- 0 .23 ml/kg/min). Mean half-life of caffeine in patients with liver dise ase (23.96 +/- 12.19 h) was significantly higher than in patients with no liver disease (7.25 +/- 3.04 h). No significant differences in dis tribution volumes were found. Receptor-operator curves (ROC) for plasm a clearance and the half-life of elimination of caffeine showed a high diagnostic value. Therefore, the parameters for caffeine biotransform ation, i.e. Cl and t(1/2), are useful for assessing liver function in the population studied.