title: Plasma free carnitine levels in 0-12-month-old infants in relation to feeding styles.
abstract: This study was planned to determine the blood carnitine levels of children aged 0-1 year in Kirikkale. Blood samples were taken on Guthrie cards and plasma free carnitine levels were analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry. The mean free carnitine level was 25.12 +/- 10.1 micromol/L (10.1-49.5 micromol/L). To assess the plasma free carnitine levels according to feeding style, babies were grouped as exclusively breastfed (n = 67, 49.3%), artificially fed (n = 24, 17.7%), and mixed fed (n = 45, 33%). The exclusively breastfed infants displayed the lowest free carnitine levels (p < 0.05). However, when this was analyzed in accordance with age, no significant change was observed in plasma free carnitine levels according to feeding style. Results of this study are important as they reveal an indication about the normal values of plasma free carnitine in Turkish infants and their relationship to feeding styles.
authors.affiliation: Kirikkale University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Turkey. srbulbul@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Selda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hizel
authors.forename: Fatma Kaya
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Kiliç
authors.forename: Cihat
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sanli
authors.forename: Turgay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Coskun
authors.forename: Saniye
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Onal
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001903:Bottle Feeding; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002331:Carnitine / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D002331:Carnitine