MICROSOMAL ENZYMES IN PATIENTS WITH GASTRIC CARCINOMA AS DETERMINED BY PLASMA HALF-LIFE OF ANTIPYRINE

Abstract

Metabolism of antipyrine was studied in 12 patients with gastric carcinoma and 5 control subjects with peptic ulcer matched for sex, body weight, height, and smoking history. The mean antipyrine half-life was significantly longer (21.5±1.5hr) in 3 patients with disseminated gastric carcinoma compared to control subjects (9.3±1.5hr) (P<0.001). There was no significant difference in the mean antipyrine half-life between 9 patients with localized gastric carcinoma and control subjects. Similarly, the mean metabolic clearance rate of antipyrine was significantly lower (22.8±5.0ml/hr/kg) in patients with disseminated gastric carcinoma compared to control subjects (52.6±13.4ml/hr/kg) (P<0.02). Thus, the presence of gastric carcinoma in humans might alter antipyrine elimination. Significant negative correlation was observed between antipyrine half-life and albumin concentration (r=-0.786, P<0.01). These observations indicate that the decrease in antipyrine half-life is not primarily due to the presence of tumor but rather to the nutritional status of an individual.