The role of allopurinol in human liver ischemia/reperfusion injury: a prospective randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To investigate the effect of pretreatment with allopurinol on oxidative stress during reperfusion and the role in liver tissue protection in partial liver resections for colorectal cancer metastases confined to the liver.

METHODOLOGY

Prospective, randomized, clinical trial, single center, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands.

SUBJECTS

Curative partial liver resection of colorectal metastases in 16 patients with or without allopurinol pretreatment, between June 1992 and February 1994.

INTERVENTIONS

Partial liver resections with Pringle maneuver, intravenous allopurinol versus no allopurinol.

OUTCOME MEASURES

The effect of allopurinol on liver cell damage caused by ischemia/reperfusion studied by measuring malondialdehyde, glutathione, glutathione disulfide, vitamin C, liver enzymes and blood clotting factors in blood samples. Morbidity and mortality were also evaluated.

RESULTS

Pretreatment with allopurinol had no significant effect on any of our study parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

Because ischemia/reperfusion damage is little in our study, pretreatment with allopurinol is of no value.