The Effects of Adjunctive Treatment With L-Carnitine on Monitoring Laboratory Variables in Icu Patients: A Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial Publisher Pubmed

Summary: A study found L-carnitine improves nutritional markers in ICU patients, enhancing recovery. #CriticalCare #Nutrition

Yahyapoor F¹ ; Keshani M^{2, 3} ; Sedaghat A⁴ ; Feizi A⁵ ; Clark CCT⁶ ; Bagherniya M^{2, 3, 7} ; Safarian M¹ ; Badpeyma M^{8, 9} ; Norouzy A¹
Source: Trials Published:2023

Abstract

Background: Critically ill patients must be monitored constantly in intensive care units (ICUs). Among many laboratory variables, nutritional status indicators are a key role in the prognosis of diseases. We investigated the effects of l-carnitine adjunctive therapy on monitoring variables in critical illness. Method: A prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial was implemented in a medical ICU. Participants were 54 patients, aged > 18 years, with multiple conditions, randomly assigned to receive 3 g l-carnitine per day or placebo, along with enteral feeding, for 1 week. Primary outcomes included monitoring variables related to nutritional status. Result: Of 54 patients randomly assigned, 51 completed the trial. Serum albumin (Alb) (P-value: 0.001), total protein (P-value: 0.003), and calcium (Ca) (0.044) significantly increased in the intervention vs. control group. Alanine transaminase (ALT) (0.022), lactate (<0.001), creatinine (Cr) (0.005), and international normalized ratio (INR) (0.049) decreased meaningfully in the intervention vs. control group. Conclusion: l-Carnitine supplementation in critically ill patients can improve several parameters including INR, Cr, ALT, lactate, Ca, Alb, and total protein. Trial registration: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials IRCT 20151108024938N2. This trial was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (registration code: IR.MUMS.fm.REC.1396.671) (available at https://en.irct.ir/trial/30748, May 2018). © 2023, The Author(s).