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L-Carnitine Supplementation Improves Self-Rating Depression Scale Scores in Uremic Male Patients Undergoing

Kyoko Tashiro1, Yusuke Kaida2, Sho-Ichi Yamagishi3

  • 1Research Institute of Medical Mass Spectrometry.

Letters in Drug Design & Discovery
|July 4, 2017
PubMed

Insights

L-carnitine supplementation improved depression in male hemodialysis patients. Low butyryl-carnitine levels predicted a positive response, suggesting its potential as a biomarker for treatment efficacy.

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Psychiatry
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Depression is common in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD).
  • Previous research linked low free-carnitine to depression severity in male HD patients.
  • The efficacy of L-carnitine supplementation for depression in this group was uncertain.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of L-carnitine supplementation on depression in male patients undergoing HD.
  • To identify carnitine levels that may predict treatment response.

Main Methods:

  • Sixteen male HD patients received oral or IV L-carnitine for 3 months.
  • Depression was assessed using the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS).
  • Serum carnitine levels were measured by tandem mass spectrometry at baseline and 3 months.

Main Results:

  • L-carnitine supplementation increased serum free and acylcarnitine levels.
  • Improved SDS scores correlated with increased carnitine levels.
  • Low baseline butyryl-carnitine levels independently predicted reduced SDS scores post-treatment.

Conclusions:

  • Three months of L-carnitine supplementation improved depression in male uremic patients on HD.
  • Low butyryl-carnitine may predict clinical response to L-carnitine in mild depression among HD patients.
Abstract

Keywords:
CarnitineSDSdepressionhemodialysismood disorderuremic male patients

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