Liver function and medroxyprogesterone acetate elimination in man.

Medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) elimination rate was investigated in 25 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis, alcoholic cirrhosis and fatty liver. The serum and urine concentrations of MPA were measured by RIA after a single oral administration of the drug. Biochemical liver tests and antipyrine kinetics were determined as indicators of the liver function. The antipyrine test, a reflector of the activity of hepatic drug-metabolizing enzyme system, was impaired only in alcoholics. The results demonstrate that the elimination rate of MPA is reduced in subjects with alcoholic cirrhosis, whereas the values of the patients with fatty liver and primary biliary cirrhosis are in the normal range. The findings show that the MPA elimination is impaired only in cases with far advanced liver disease.