PLASMA TAURINE CONCENTRATION IN LIVER-CIRRHOSIS WITH PAINFUL MUSCLE CRAMPS

To assess the mechanism of painful muscle cramps (MC) associated with liver cirrhosis (LC), the plasma taurine concentration was examined in 28 cases with LC, among which there were 15 cases with MC and 13 case s without MC. The mean plasma taurine level in LC with MC was 56.9 +/- 17.3 nmol/ml, whereas that in LC without MC was 79.3 +/- 16.7 nmol/ml . In normal controls, the level was 90.1 +/- 12.1 nmol/ml. The plasma taurine concentration in LC with MC was significantly lower than in LC without MC or in normal controls. There was no significant difference between normal controls and LC without MC. Following oral administrat ion of taurine to nine cases with MC in doses of 3 g/day for 4 weeks, a 2.2-fold increment of plasma taurine was noted with improvements of MC. These data indicate that MC and the concentration of plasma taurin e seem to correlate well and that taurine therapy is justifiable for M C in patients with LC.