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. 2018 Nov 7;10(11):1697.
doi: 10.3390/nu10111697.

A Pilot Clinical Study of Liquid Ubiquinol Supplementation on Cardiac Function in Pediatric Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Fong-Lin Chen  1   2   3 , Po-Sheng Chang  4   5 , Yi-Chin Lin  6 , Ping-Ting Lin  7   8
Affiliations

A Pilot Clinical Study of Liquid Ubiquinol Supplementation on Cardiac Function in Pediatric Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Fong-Lin Chen et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Background: Pediatric dilated cardiomyopathy (PDCM) is a life-threatening type of cardiac muscle dysfunction in children. Ubiquinone is a lipid-soluble nutrient that participates in energy synthesis. Recently, a novel hydrophilic ubiquinol supplement was developed. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of liquid ubiquinol supplementation (10 mg/kg body weight/day) on cardiac function in children with PDCM.

Methods: Ten children diagnosed with PDCM were recruited to this study and administered with liquid ubiquinol for 24 weeks. The cardiac function was measured by echocardiography. The New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification was used to assess symptoms of heart failure. Plasma coenzyme Q10 levels were measured during the study.

Results: Ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS) were significantly higher than the baseline values until week 16 of supplementation. Subjects who had higher plasma coenzyme Q10 concentration had significantly better EF and FS values. In addition, 30% of the subjects showed improvement in the NYHA classification after 24 weeks of supplementation.

Conclusion: Liquid ubiquinol supplementation is associated with an increase the level of coenzyme Q10 to complementary improve cardiac function (particularly EF and FS) and ameliorate the symptoms of heart failure in children with PDCM.

Keywords: coenzyme Q10; dietary supplementation; heart failure; liquid ubiquinol; pediatric dilated cardiomyopathy; pediatric nutrition.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The percentages of subjects at each New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification after supplementation.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS) in children with PDCM after every four weeks of liquid ubiquinol supplementation. ∙ Median values. * Values were significantly different from those at week 0 (p ≤ 0.05). EF, ejection fractions; FS, fractional shortening; PDCM, pediatric dilated cardiomyopathy.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Changes in ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS) in children with PDCM after supplementation. (A) EF and FS for each subject. The solid line indicates a rise, and the dotted line indicates a decline during the intervention. (B) The changes in EF and FS between week 12 and week 24. EF, ejection fractions; FS, fractional shortening; PDCM, pediatric dilated cardiomyopathy.
Figure 4
Figure 4
EF and FS according to the level of plasma coenzyme Q10. (A) At week 12. (B) At week 24. * p ≤ 0.05; † p = 0.07. EF, ejection fractions; FS, fractional shortening; PDCM, pediatric dilated cardiomyopathy.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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