L-carnitine supplementation in hemodialysis patients.
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 L-Carnitine 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 L-Carnitine treated group. In conclusion, these results demostrate 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.
Mitwalli
Ahmed Hassan
AH
Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, King Khalid University Hospital, Saudi Arabia.
Al-Wakeel
Jamal S
JS
Alam
Awatif
A
Tarif
Nauman
N
Abu-Aisha
Hassan
H
Rashed
Mohamed
M
Al Nahed
Nora
N