Body composition and long-term levo-carnitine supplementation

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of long-term levocarnitine supplementation on nutritional state of patients in maintenance dialysis.

Patients and methods: We studied by multifrequency-BIA (bioelectric impedance analysis) two groups of patients in maintenance bicarbonate hemodialysis for at least 4 years, comparable with respect to gender and age, and without liver disease, diabetes and malignancy. One group (25 patients) was treated with levocarnitine (1g/die) for three years or more; the control group (35 patients) never received this agent.

Results: Long-term levocarnitine supplementation was associated with higher serum levels of total protein and albumin in comparison to the control group. These effects were not associated with an increase in body fat mass and/or in total body water content, which are potentially detrimental conditions, especially considering the reported frequent association with circulatory and blood pressure alterations.

Conclusions: Levocarnitine is able to improve the nutritional state, and this is associated with higher protein catabolism rate, i.e. with a higher protein intake, without detrimental effects on dialysis efficacy and adequacy.