Abstract
Background: Authors and colleagues have continued clinical research for hemodialysis patients. Currently, a pilot study presents intervention of carnitine for changes of the body composition. Subjects and Methods: Subjects were six patients on hemodialysis with intervention of carnitine (group 1). Average data were 74.3 years, 65.4 kg, 22.6 in BMI. As levocarnitine, L-Cartin FF injection 1000 mg was administered three times a week for six months. Group 2 has six control patients for age-, sex-, body weight, BMI-matched (group 2). Body composition of muscle and fat tissues were measured by InBody 770 on 0 and 6 months. Results: In group 1, muscle volume and skeletal muscle showed increasing tendency without statistical significance. In contrast, there were significant decreases of body fat volume (22.3 kg vs 20.5 kg, 39.0% vs 35.8%) (p<0.05). No significant differences were found in hemoglobin, total protein, albumin and Cardio-Thoracic Ratio (CTR) of chest X-ray. Group 2 showed no significant changes. Discussion and Conclusion: Hemodialysis patients often have muscular reduction. Previous reports showed improved lean body mass by carnitine administration, which may support our result. These results from current pilot study would be expected to become useful reference data in the pathophysiological investigation in patients on hemodialysis.
Highlights
In recent years, diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) have been increased worldwide and become crucial problems from medical, social and economic points of view
During our continuous clinical research, we have tried a pilot study this time, in which carnitine was administered to HD patients with the investigation of the changes in muscle mass/proportion and fat mass/proportion
There are several important matters to be discussed in this article. They include hemodialysis, chronic renal failure, Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agent (ESA), carnitine and current research data, which are described in this order as follows
Summary
Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) have been increased worldwide and become crucial problems from medical, social and economic points of view. As clinical condition of these patients aggravates, their renal anemia status reveals exacerbation. These causes include decreased production of the Endogenous Erythropoietin (EPO), which is accompanied with decreasing renal function [1]. The life of the red blood cell shortens from impaired renal function or uremia. This process may decrease the reactivity of EPO for hematopoietic cell. ESA has been used for patients with end-stage renal failure in the actual clinical practice. There were significant decreases of body fat volume (22.3 kg vs 20.5 kg, 39.0% vs 35.8%) (p
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