Serum-free carnitine levels in children with heart failure.
The serum-free carnitine (SFC) levels of 91 children with heart failure (HF) and of a control group consisting of 30 healthy children were measured. Twenty-four of 91 children with HF were administered oral L-carnitine. The mean SFC level of children with HF (20.16 +/- 0.30 nmol/l) was significantly lower than that of the control group (38.98 +/- 0.79 nmol/ml) (p < 0.01). Mean SFC levels of 24 patients, after L-carnitine administration, increased significantly (p < 0.01). Patients administered L-carnitine displayed a marked difference in time taken for clinical improvement compared with those not given oral L-carnitine.
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Turkey.
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D000284:Administration, Oral; D002331:Carnitine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood* / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008929:Mitochondria, Heart / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction
D005227:Fatty Acids; D002331:Carnitine