Impact of malnourishment on the pharmacokinetics of acetaminophen and susceptibility to acetaminophen hepatotoxicity.

While decreased total acetaminophen clearance (twofold) due to malnutrition has been reported in literature, the extremely low clearance in this specific patient cannot be explained. Malnourished individuals generally have reduced antioxidant reserves, coinciding with a shift in metabolic routes toward oxidative metabolism. This may result in increased formation of NAPQI and reduced neutralizing capacity, thereby increasing the risk of acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity. Evidence for this observation can be found in animal and to a lesser extent in human studies.