clinical pharmacology CIMETIDINE CLEARANCE CAN BE PREDICTED IN PATIENTS WITH LAENNEC'S CIRRHOSIS

ll patients with Laennec's cirrhosis entered a study to assess the effect of alcoholic cirrhosis on cimetidine disposition. Patients received 300mg cimetidine qid. The mean total clearance was 34.5 L/hour which is similar to values reported for normal subjects (33-52 L/hour). Renal clearance (mean 18.2 L/hour) was proportional to the creatinine clearance in all subjects, regardless of the severity of the disease. The mean metabolic clearance was 16.3 L/hour and was strongly correlated with plasma prothrombin time. In 4 subjects with abnormally high prothrombin times (> 12 sec) the metabolic clearance was decreased (range of 4.3-13.0 L/hour). These correlations suggest that renal and metabolic clearances of cimetidine in patients with Laennec's cirrhosis can be predicted from data on creatinine clearance and prothrombin time. Cello. J.P. and 0ie, S.: European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 25: 223 (No 2, 1983)

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