[Metabolism of hexobarbital in patients with acute hepatitis and cirrhosis (author's transl)].

16 patients with acute hepatitis, 18 patients with cirrhosis and a total of 21 volunteers and patients with normal liver function received 7.32 mg/kg hexobarbital by linear intravenous infusion within 60 min. Hexobarbital was determined gaschromatographically in serial blood samples and the hexobarbital-clearance was calculated from the plasma concentration curve versus time. Additional experiments were performed in rats suffering from so called "galactosamine hepatitis". In half of the patients with acute hepatitis a normal hexobarbital clearance could be found. In the other patients this was distinctly reduced but not correlation was found to other liver function tests. Patients with cirrhosis were subdivided into two groups. The patients in group 1 were well compensated. The patients in group 2 had a decompensated state with ascites and oesophageal varices. In nearly all patients with cirrhosis the hexobarbital-clearance was diminished. This was more pronounced in group 2. Ketohexobarbital excretion in healthy subjects was in the range of 40-60% of dose. Patients with acute hepatitis excreted only 10-20% of dose and patients with liver cirrhosis only about 5% of dose. In rats with "galactosamine hepatitis" hexobarbital clearance in vivo was distinctly reduced and this could be explained by diminished microsomal cytochrome p 45- and hexobarbital oxidation rate.