NDT Advance Access originally published online on July 22, 2006
Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 2006 21(11):3211-3214; doi:10.1093/ndt/gfl356
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Effects of L-carnitine infusions on inflammatory and nutritional markers in haemodialysis patients
ene
2
an Yücel21Dialysis Unit and 2Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory of Ankara Hospital, Ministery of Health, Ankara 06340, Turkey
Correspondence and offprint requests to: Murat Duranay, S.B. Ankara E
itim ve Ara
tirma Hastanesi Nefroloji Klini
i, 06340 Mamak/Ankara, Turkey. Email: fatmamericyilmaz{at}hotmail.com
Background. Carnitine loss through dialysis membranes is shown to be related to the lack of carnitine in long-term haemodialysis patients. It has been previously reported that haemodialysis patients might have benefited from carnitine supplementation.
Methods. A total of 21 chronic haemodialysis patients maintaining carnitine supplementation and 21 controls (haemodialysis patients not receiving carnitine) were included in the study. L-carnitine was used intravenously three times a week after each haemodialysis session, at a 20 mg/kg dose. C-reactive protien (CRP), lipid profile, transferrin, total protein and albumin levels were determined at baseline after 3 and 6 months of treatment, and compared with the control group.
Results. CRP levels were significantly decreased in carnitine group in contrast to the increase in the control group. Transferrin, total protein and albumin levels and body mass index (BMI) of the patients rose in the carnitine group.
Conclusions. There was a significant benefit of L-carnitine on CRP, transferrin, total protein and albumin levels of the haemodialysis patients.
Keywords: CRP; haemodialysis; inflammation; L-carnitine; nutrition