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Carnitine deficiency in haemodialysed patients
Clinica Chimica Acta; International Journal of Clinical Chemistry
|September 30, 1986
Summary
Chronic renal insufficiency patients undergoing hemodialysis exhibit elevated acylated carnitine levels. Carnitine deficiency develops due to dialysis losses, as endogenous synthesis cannot compensate for these losses.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Nephrology
- Clinical Chemistry
Background:
- Carnitine plays a vital role in energy metabolism.
- Chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) and its treatment, hemodialysis, can disrupt metabolic processes.
- Carnitine homeostasis may be compromised in patients with CRI undergoing hemodialysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify free carnitine, acylcarnitine, and total carnitine levels in hemodialysis patients.
- To compare carnitine concentrations between CRI patients and healthy controls.
- To investigate the longitudinal changes in carnitine levels during hemodialysis treatment.
Main Methods:
- Serum samples were collected from patients with CRI undergoing regular hemodialysis and healthy controls.
- Concentrations of free carnitine, acylcarnitine, and total carnitine were measured.
- Levels were assessed at different time points, including immediately before dialysis sessions and over a 25-week treatment period.
Main Results:
- Hemodialysis patients showed a significantly higher proportion of acylated carnitine compared to controls.
- Carnitine levels did not fully recover between dialysis sessions, with levels decreasing before the third weekly session.
- A significant exponential decay in both total and free serum carnitine levels was observed over 25 weeks of treatment.
Conclusions:
- Hemodialysis leads to substantial losses of carnitine.
- Endogenous carnitine synthesis is insufficient to counteract dialysis-induced losses in CRI patients.
- Carnitine deficiency is a likely consequence of regular hemodialysis treatment in the absence of exogenous supplementation.