Swift C G, Homeida M, Halliwell M, Roberts C J
Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 1978 Nov 16;14(2):149-52. doi: 10.1007/BF00607447.
This study has examined the contribution of decrease in liver size to the decline in drug metabolising capacity which occurs with ageing. Liver volume and antipyrine kinetics were measured in two groups of healthy individuals aged 20 to 29 years and 75 to 86 years and in a group of hospitalised patients aged 70 to 89 years. Liver volume was reduced in both groups of elderly people compared to the young group. Antipyrine plasma half-life was prolonged and antipyrine clearance was reduced in the group of elderly normal individuals. In this group the index--antipyrine clearance per unit liver volume--was also reduced in comparison to that of the young group. Measurements of antipyrine elimination in the hospitalised elderly group did not differ significantly from those in the young group. It is concluded that both decreased liver mass and decreased hepatic enzyme activity contribute to the impairment of drug oxidation which occurs in the elderly and which may warrant a reduction in dosage of some drugs. However, differences have been demonstrated between groups of elderly people suggesting that under certain circumstances standard doses of such drugs may be normally tolerated.
本研究探讨了肝脏体积减小对随着年龄增长而出现的药物代谢能力下降的影响。对两组健康个体（20至29岁和75至86岁）以及一组70至89岁的住院患者测量了肝脏体积和安替比林动力学。与年轻组相比，两组老年人的肝脏体积均减小。老年正常个体组中安替比林血浆半衰期延长，安替比林清除率降低。在该组中，与年轻组相比，单位肝脏体积的安替比林清除率指标也降低。住院老年组的安替比林消除测量值与年轻组无显著差异。得出的结论是，肝脏质量下降和肝酶活性降低均导致老年人药物氧化受损，这可能需要减少某些药物的剂量。然而，已证明老年人群体之间存在差异，表明在某些情况下，此类药物的标准剂量通常可以耐受。
