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The utility of the 13 C‐galactose breath test as a measure of liver function
Author(s) -
Saadeh S.,
Behrens P. W.,
Parsi M. A.,
Carey W. D.,
Connor J. T.,
Grealis M.,
Barnes D. S.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
alimentary pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.308
H-Index - 177
eISSN - 1365-2036
pISSN - 0269-2813
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2036.2003.01753.x
Subject(s) - galactose , cirrhosis , medicine , ingestion , breath test , gastroenterology , confidence interval , liver disease , liver function , biochemistry , chemistry , helicobacter pylori
Summary Background : The 13 C‐galactose breath test has been reported to be an accurate, non‐invasive method for the assessment of liver function. Aims : To determine the optimal doses of labelled and unlabelled carrier galactose necessary to perform the 13 C‐galactose breath test, to assess the utility of the 13 C‐galactose breath test in distinguishing between normal subjects and those with liver cirrhosis and to determine whether the 13 C‐galactose breath test can stratify patients with cirrhosis based on their Child–Pugh score. Methods : Twenty‐three control subjects and 30 patients with liver cirrhosis received fixed doses of unlabelled carrier galactose and labelled 13 C‐galactose. Breath samples were collected just before and at 30‐min intervals up to 4 h after the ingestion of unlabelled carrier galactose and labelled 13 C‐galactose. Each sample was analysed for its 13 CO 2 content. Results : Doses of 25 g/m 2 of unlabelled carrier galactose and 100 mg of 13 C‐galactose had the greatest sensitivity (93%; 95% confidence interval, 76–99%) and specificity (87%; 95% confidence interval, 65–97%) for distinguishing between normal subjects and cirrhotics when the test was performed 2 h after ingestion. The 13 C‐galactose breath test was also able to distinguish between class A and class B or C cirrhotics. Conclusion : The 13 C‐galactose breath test is a useful non‐invasive tool for distinguishing between healthy subjects and patients with liver cirrhosis and between cirrhotics with well‐compensated liver disease and those with decompensated liver disease.