Low plasma carnitine in patients on prolonged total parenteral nutrition: association with low plasma lysine

Plasma carnitine levels were determined in 17 patients maintained on long-term total parenteral nutrition (TPN) for a mean (+/- SEM) period of 69 +/- 11 months (range 12-196). All had severe malabsorption and were dependent on intravenous feeding. Plasma carnitine was determined by a modified Cederblad enzymatic method. Mean plasma carnitine was significantly below the mean normal for females (p less than 0.02) and borderline low for males (p = 0.07). In six patients the levels were below the low normal range, and in five others they were at the lowest levels of normal. Of the six patients with normal levels, three had elevated serum creatinine, indicating renal dysfunction which may by itself elevate plasma carnitine. In 10 patients the plasma levels of lysine (a carnitine precursor) were determined and found to be lower than normal (p less than 0.05). Plasma carnitine levels correlated positively with serum albumin (r = 0.62, p less than 0.05), and negatively with serum alkaline phosphatase (r = -0.64, p less than 0.05). Thus, patients maintained on long-term TPN may have low plasma carnitine, which could represent carnitine deficiency. The low plasma carnitine may be related to a deficiency of the carnitine precursor lysine. Further studies are required to determine the significance of the low plasma carnitine and whether carnitine supplementation should be required in long-term TPN.