Carnitine deficiency: a possible cause of gastrointestinal dysmotility.
An infant with delayed development and peripheral myopathy, nourished on a soy-based liquid diet deficient in carnitine, had gastrointestinal dysmotility manifested by postprandial vomiting, oral drooling, delayed gastric emptying and infrequent bowel movements. Oesophageal manometry showed a reduced lower oesophageal sphincter pressure for age with abnormal distal motility. Serum carnitine concentration was 9.9 mumol l-1. After dietary supplementation of carnitine the gastrointestinal symptoms resolved, oesophageal manometry returned to normal, and serum carnitine increased to 37.2 mumol l-1. Dietary carnitine deficiency in infancy may be a cause of smooth muscle dysmotility of the gastrointestinal tract.
Weaver
L T
LT
Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Rosenthal
S R
SR
Gladstone
W
W
Winter
H S
HS
D001903:Bottle Feeding; D002331:Carnitine / Q000172:deficiency*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003248:Constipation / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000209:etiology; D005527:Food, Fortified; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000503:physiopathology; D012798:Sialorrhea / Q000209:etiology
D002331:Carnitine