13C-METHACETIN BREATHE TEST IN EARLY DIAGNOSTICS OF NON-ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE.

OBJECTIVE

The aim: Of the study was to evaluate the early utility changes of the 13C methacetin breath test parameters in patients with NAFLD.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

Materials and methods: There were included 50 subjects in the study, among them 35 patients had steatosis and 15 patients had steatohepatitis, including 35 (70.0%) male subjects and 15 (30.0%) female subjects. The control group included 17 apparently healthy volunteers, among them 10 (58.8%) subjects were male and 7 (41.2%) subjects were female.

RESULTS

Results

It was determined that metabolism kinetics in case of liver steatosis was significant decreased more than 30% compared to the control group (p = 0.0001) and in case of steatohepatitis that decrease was more than 65% (p = 0.00001) compared with normal values. It resulted in less cumulative dose accumulation in steatosis (p = 0.00001) and steatohepatitis (p = 0.00001). Among the reasons for the decrease in the kinetics of metabolism in steatosis, there were insufficient response of hepatocytes on 10 minutes (<10 dose/h,%) in 40% of cases and reduction of metabolism rate amplitude at 20-40 minutes following methacetin administration.

CONCLUSION

Conclusions

The results of 13C-methacetin breath test demonstrate that in patients with NAFLD there is a gradual slowing of metabolism rate in hepatocytes, which leads to a decrease in cumulative dose.