title: Comparison of serum carnitine levels and clinical correlates between outpatients and acutely hospitalised individuals with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia: A cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to compare serum carnitine levels and clinical correlates between stable outpatients and acutely hospitalised individuals with diagnoses of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We obtained clinical information as well as serum levels for total and free carnitine, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglycerides in 60 consenting individuals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found higher total serum carnitine levels in our outpatient group in comparison to acutely hospitalised psychiatric patients, with a statistically significant P value of 0.045. Metabolic syndrome was more prevalent in the outpatient (37.9%) versus inpatient group (16.1%). We identified significantly higher carnitine levels in patients who met the criteria for metabolic syndrome in comparison to the patients without metabolic syndrome, with respective P values for total and free carnitine of 0.0048 and 0.0029.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study revealed a complex relationship among carnitine metabolism, metabolic syndrome and behavioural outcomes. Future studies of carnitine metabolism in the context of mental illness as well as metabolic syndrome are warranted.
authors.affiliation: a Departments of Mental Health and Neurology , University of South Carolina School of Medicine , Columbia , SC , USA ;
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cuturic
authors.affiliation: b Department of Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Science , University of South Carolina School of Medicine , Columbia , SC , USA ;
authors.forename: Ruth K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Abramson
authors.affiliation: c Departments of Mental Health and Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Science , University of South Carolina School of Medicine , Columbia , SC , USA ;
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Breen
authors.affiliation: d Department of Mental Health , Greenville SC , USA ;
authors.forename: Alfred C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.affiliation: e Departments of Mental Health and Psychiatry & Behavioral Science , Medical University of South Carolina , Charleston , SC , USA.
authors.forename: Elliott E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Levy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000097:blood*; D002331:Carnitine / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D002331:Carnitine
keywords: Carnitine; bipolar disorder; hospitalisation; metabolic syndrome; schizophrenia