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Abnormal carnitine metabolism in hemodialysis patients on different anticoagulants
Kie Sekiguchi1, Takaya Abe1, Ei Shiomi1
1Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Iwate Medical University, Morioka, Iwate, Japan.
Introduction:
We aimed to determine whether unfractionated heparin (UH) and low molecular weight heparin (LH) contribute to aberrant carnitine metabolism in patients receiving hemodialysis.
Methods:
The rate of increase in serum free fatty acids (FFAs) and the ratio of acylcarnitine to free carnitine (AC/FC) from before to after hemodialysis were determined in patients receiving UH and LH. Additionally, the effect of switching patients to UH from LH was examined.
Results:
AC/FC was significantly higher in the UH group. In addition, serum FFAs in that group increased to 0.825 ± 0.270 after dialysis from 0.172 ± 0.160 before dialysis, showing a positive correlation with AC/FC. Furthermore, AC/FC was observed to be significantly higher in patients who were switched to UH from LH at 3 months after the change.
Conclusion:
Compared with UH, LH has a lesser effect on lipid metabolism, suggesting that it also has a lesser effect on carnitine metabolism.
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