85 Evaluation of a novel liver function test in pediatric liver disease

Abstract

A novel liver function test was developed using formation kinetics of the metabolite monoethylglycinexylidide (MEGX) after i.v. bolus injection of lidocain (1 mg/ kg). Formation of MEGX is based upon a cyt. P-450 dependent N-deethylation step. The MEGX test was performed (1, 2) using a fluorescence polarisation immunoassay as described perviously. 38 patients aged 0.5-24 y have been tested so far. They suffered fran biliary atresia (BA) (n=6), chronic hepatitis (LC) (n=11) and hepatic based metabolic disease (HMD) (n=12). Children with normal liver function 1-4 years after liver transplantation (LTX) completed this series (n=9). In addition, 11 normal subjects (NORM) (mean age 23 y) were tested. Results are given in ug/1 (15 min values). Patients with MEGX senm concentrations 90 ug/1 were not associated with clinically significant hepatic dysfunction. Adverse effects of the test were not observed so far. According to our preliminary findings this test gives valuable prognostic information in pediatric liver disease. Ref. 1) Oellerich, M. et al., J. Clin. Chan. Clin. Biochem. 25, 845, 1967; 2) Burdelski, M. et al., Transpl. Proc. 19, 3838, 1987.