| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of this study was to determine the applicability of the ,saffeine
breath test in assessing liver drug metabolism. , in children/with
Kwashiorkor and those on anti-TB drugs. Seventeen children aged between
3-10 years were recruited into the study, of which 8 were cases of
kwashiorkor and 9 on anti-TB treatment. Both groups were studied before
commencing dietary rehabilitation or anti- TB treatment.
Labelled caffeine was given orally at a dose of 3 mg kg -1 dissolved in
distilled water. Breath samples were collected by requesting the child to
blow into the mask at intervals of 15 minutes for a period of 2 hours. The
collected sample were transferred into a labelled headspace analyzer vial
for storage pending analysis. The procedure was repeated after 10-14 days
of intervention.
Breath samples were analyzed at the Scottish Universities Research Reactor
Centre, Edinburgh. Unfortunately, due to faulty seal on some of the
collection vials, only a limited number of specimens had adequate amount
of isotope for analysis (~50). In the kwashiorkor group there were 4 sin{ille
and 3 duplicate samples which had adequate amount of isotope labelled
carbon dioxide for analysis. In the patients with duplicate samples a rise
in level of labelled carbon dioxide recovered after nutritional
rehabilitation, 'the mean (SO) percentage was 2.86 (1.3) before and 3.6
vii
(1.39) after rehabilitation. In TB patients there were 3 single and 4
duplicate samples which had adequate amount of isotope labelled carbon
dioxide for analysis. In these TB patients with duplicate samples, two had
a notable rise and the other two had marginal decline in level of cumulative
labelled carbon dioxide after commencement of treatment.
The study showed that the caffeine breath test is a useful test of liver
drug metabolizing enzymes in children with malnutrition. The study also
demonstrates that the caffeine breath test can be used in children of three
years of age or possibly younger.
Further studies are required particularly to repeat the test when the
children have recovered from malnutrition and tuberculosis. | en_US |
