When normal volunteers and hepatocirrhotic patients were given orally a single small dose of MPA (p-methoxyphenyl acetamide) and their plasma MPA time courses were determined by stable isotope dilution analysis
it was found that several kinetic parameters of MPA were significantly different among normal adults
compensated cirrhotic patients
and decompensated cirrhotic patients. A simplified method was established which requires only a single 2ml blood sample drawn 30 min after an oral dose of 1.5mg·kg-1 MPA. Application of this method in 30 normal subjects
12compensated and 39 decompensated cirrhotic patients revealed that it can sensitively distinguish the hepatic functional state of the three groups. In addition
it can also reflect the improvement of liver function after nutritional therapy.