title: Inspiratory muscle strength is correlated with carnitine levels in type 2 diabetes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Plasma carnitine insufficiency has been known to cause muscle weakness. Carnitine levels and pulmonary functions were lower in patients with diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  To determine whether pulmonary functions are correlated with carnitine levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. In this study, we evaluated pulmonary functions and carnitine concentrations in 49 patients with type 2 diabetes and 34 healthy controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Carnitine levels were lower in type 2 diabetes group than control group (52.56 +/- 12.38 and 78.96 +/- 10.66 hmol/mL, respectively, p < 0.0001). Pulmonary functions were not significantly different between groups. Carnitine levels were not correlated with age, duration of diabetes, fasting blood glucose levels, and glycemic control (HbA1c%) in patients with type 2 diabetes. However, carnitine levels in patient group were correlated with % forced vital capacity (FVC%) (r = 0.35, p = 0.016), % forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1%) (r = 0.318, p= 0.029), FEV1/FVC (r= 0.302, p= 0.039), inspiratory muscle strength (PImax) (r = 0.407, p = 0.023), and PImax% (r = 0.423, p= 0.018).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that low carnitine levels may be associated with lower PImax and PImax% in type 2 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kiliçli
authors.forename: Sebila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dökmetaş
authors.forename: Ferhan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Candan
authors.forename: Sefa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozşahin
authors.forename: Serdal
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Korkmaz
authors.forename: Elvan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Amasyali
authors.forename: Koray
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fakioğlu
authors.forename: Kürşat
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dal
authors.forename: Fettah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Acibucu
authors.forename: Ilkay
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cakir
mesh_terms: D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002331:Carnitine / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012132:Respiratory Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D002331:Carnitine