L-carnitine supplementation in hemodialysis patients

Abstract EN

L-Carnitine supplementation has shown beneficial effects in patients on hemodialysis.

We studied 36 ESRD adult patients with a mean age of 47.5 ± 15 years to evaluate the effect of LCarnitine supplementation on hemoglobin, lipid levels and physical performance in patients on hemodialysis.

The study group consisted of 18 randomly selected patients who received L-Carnitine 15 mg / kg and the control group consisted of 18 randomly selected patients who received equal volume of normal saline as a placebo three times a week for six months.

Laboratory tests were performed at baseline, then monthly until the end of the study.

A significant increase in the hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (HCT) in the presence of unchanged doses of erythropoietin hormonal supplementation was observed (pre 79 ± 7.5 gm / l, post 103 ± 10.6 gm / l) P<0.001 (pre 24± 2%, post 33 ± 4%) P<0.001 respectively) in the L-Carnitine treated group.

Similarly total serum cholesterol (TCL) and serum triglyceride (TG) levels showed a statistically significant decrease in the study group, TCL (pre 4.6 ± 1.2, post 3.7 ± 1.1 mmol / L), P <0.03 and TG (pre 3.1 ± 1.7, post 1.8 ± 0.6 mmol / L) P < 0.004.

The physical performance as assessed by mild and moderate exercise showed a trend towards improvement.

There was a significant increase in free carnitine and total carnitine levels in the LCarnitine treated group.

In conclusion, these results demonstrate positive effect of L-Carnitine supplementation in the hemodialysis patients marked by an increase in Hb, HCT, a decrease in TCL and TG and improved physical performance in comparison to the control group.