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Plasma and muscle carnitine in healthy and hemodialyzed children
A Glöggler1, M Bulla, C Puchstein
1Institute of Biological Chemistry and Nutrition, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, FRG.
Insights
This study establishes reference values for carnitine and its subfractions in children. Boys aged 10-18 show higher plasma carnitine levels than younger children.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Metabolic Disorders
Background:
- Carnitine is essential for fatty acid metabolism.
- Understanding carnitine levels in children is crucial for diagnosing metabolic disorders.
- Age and sex-related variations in carnitine may exist.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish reference values for total carnitine and its subfractions in healthy children.
- To investigate age and sex differences in plasma and muscle carnitine concentrations.
- To compare carnitine profiles in healthy children with those undergoing hemodialysis.
Main Methods:
- Modified radiochemical-enzymatic assay used for measurement.
- Plasma and muscle samples analyzed from healthy children aged 0.1-18 years.
- Comparison of carnitine levels between different age groups and sexes.
Main Results:
- Plasma carnitine levels increased with age in boys (10-18 years) but not in girls.
- No significant age-dependency observed for muscle carnitine concentrations.
- Hemodialyzed children exhibited altered plasma carnitine patterns, while muscle levels remained normal.
Conclusions:
- Provides essential reference ranges for pediatric carnitine metabolism.
- Highlights the need for age- and sex-specific reference values in clinical practice.
- Suggests that muscle carnitine may be a more stable indicator in certain pediatric conditions.
Abstract:
Total carnitine and its subfractions (free carnitine, short-chain and long-chain acylcarnitine) have been measured in plasma and muscle of healthy children of both sexes aged 0.1-18 years using a modified radiochemical-enzymatic assay. Up to the age of 9 years, no differences were apparent between boys and girls while in the range of 10-18 years the boys revealed increased and girls similar concentrations of free and total plasma carnitine compared to the younger children. Plasma concentrations of total and free carnitine revealed weak, but significant correlations with age in boys and girls, while muscle concentrations of total carnitine and its subfractions were not age dependent. No correlations were apparent between any of the plasma and muscle carnitine fractions. Plasma carnitine concentrations measured in hemodialyzed children showed a disturbed pattern of the fractions, whereas muscle concentrations were apparently normal in these patients. The present study provides reference values of free carnitine and the acylcarnitines in plasma and muscle of healthy children and emphasizes the necessity to use appropriate reference values for assessing carnitine metabolism in pediatric patients.