title: Long-term effect of acetyl-L-carnitine on myocardial 123I-MIBG uptake in patients with diabetes.
abstract: Carnitine derivatives may have beneficial effects on cardiac and nerve function in patients with diabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) on myocardial sympathetic nervous function as measured with 123I-meta-iodobenzyl guanidine (MIBG) and single-photon emission tomography (SPET) in 19 patients with diabetes (placebo group, n = 6; ALC group, n = 13) at the beginning and at the end of a 1-year randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. The coefficient of variation for the MIBG analysis was 4%. In patients who were given a placebo, global myocardial MIBG uptake deteriorated during the study (MIBG uptake 1-year follow-up/baseline, 0.86 +/- 0.05, mean +/- standard error of mean), whereas in patients treated with ALC, MIBG uptake did not change significantly (1-year follow-up/baseline, 1.07 +/- 0.08; p = 0.03 between the groups). On the basis of these preliminary data, we conclude that long-term treatment with ALC may be of potential value in preventing the progressive loss of myocardial sympathetic nervous function in patients with diabetes. MIBG-SPET is a sensitive and thus valuable method in assessing the development of myocardial sympathetic nervous dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Nutrition and Medicine, University of Kuopio, and Kuopio University Hospital, Finland. anu.turpeinen@kuh.fi
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Turpeinen
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Kuikka
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vanninen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Uusitupa
mesh_terms: D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D000108:Acetylcarnitine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine; D000108:Acetylcarnitine