[Occurrence of the fast acetylation phenotype in persons with the radicular syndrome. Preliminary report].

The polymorphism of drug acetylation is an important factor determining the therapeutic effectiveness and toxicity of the drugs metabolized through acetylation. The purpose of the study was determination of the acetylation phenotype in patients with radicular pain syndromes by means of a test with sulphadimidine acetylation. The test was done in 23 cases of radicular pain syndromes and in 45 healthy volunteers serving as controls. In the control group the fast acetylation phenotype was found in 23 cases (51%) while 22 controls (49%) were slow acetylators. In 23 patients with radicular syndromes 15 (65%) were fast acetylators and 8 (35%) were slow acetylators. The percent of fast and slow acetylators was statistically significantly different between the group of patients and the control group. Mathematical analysis of the results by means of the chi 2 test showed significance of the difference at p less than 0.05. These results may show a predisposition of subjects with fast acetylation phenotype for development of radicular syndromes.