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Published on: July 19, 2018

Carnitine supplementation improves apolipoprotein B levels in pediatric peritoneal dialysis patients

Celalettin Koşan1, Lale Sever, Nil Arisoy

  • 1Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Medical Faculty of Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey. ckosan@atauni.edu.tr

Pediatric Nephrology (Berlin, Germany)
|October 3, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Carnitine supplementation in pediatric peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients did not improve overall lipid profiles. However, it significantly reduced apolipoprotein B levels, suggesting a potential benefit for this specific marker.

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Pediatric Medicine
  • Nutritional Science
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Conflicting evidence exists regarding carnitine supplementation's impact on lipid metabolism in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.
  • Pediatric PD patients often exhibit dyslipidemia, necessitating investigation into effective management strategies.
  • Carnitine deficiency is observed in PD patients, characterized by lower free carnitine and higher acyl-carnitine levels.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of oral l-carnitine supplementation on lipid metabolism parameters in pediatric patients undergoing PD.
  • To evaluate changes in triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, VLDL-C, phospholipids, and apolipoproteins A-I and B.

Main Methods:

  • A study involving 20 pediatric PD patients (aged 2-18 years) and a matched healthy control group.
  • Baseline assessment of lipid profiles and carnitine levels in both groups.
  • Treatment group received oral l-carnitine (50 mg/kg/day) for 30 days, followed by post-treatment assessment.

Main Results:

  • Pediatric PD patients exhibited higher baseline triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL-C, VLDL-C, and apolipoprotein B levels compared to controls.
  • No significant differences were found in HDL-C, free fatty acids, phospholipids, or apolipoprotein A-I between groups at baseline.
  • L-carnitine supplementation significantly decreased apolipoprotein B levels (P<0.001) but did not alter other measured lipid parameters.

Conclusions:

  • Oral l-carnitine supplementation does not ameliorate the overall lipid profile in pediatric PD patients.
  • Carnitine supplementation significantly reduces apolipoprotein B levels in this patient population.
  • Carnitine supplementation may be beneficial for targeting elevated apolipoprotein B in pediatric PD patients.

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