The effect of Carnitine on the heart function of hemodialysis patients with heart failure

Cardiovascular disease is among important factors of mortality in hemodialysis patients. There are some reports that indicate the Carnitine concentration reduction in the tissues accelerate cardiovascular abnormalities in those patients whom regularly are hemodialysed. This research has been set up to study the effect of oral Carnitine on the heart function of hemodialysis patients from Sari and Vali-Asr Hospital in Ghaem-Shahr Fatemeh Alzahra, Imam Khomeini in during 2003. In this study 20 patients with at least 3 month duration and 3 times interval hemodialysis in each month were chosen. The sample hemogenously devided in case and control group. One Carnitine tablet with 1 gr dose was given to the case group daily. The placebo was prescribed to the control group EF and LVEDD of patients were determined by echocardiography. The ratio diameter of heart to the chest was determined by chest radiography. The plasma level of hemoglobin, Cholesterol and Triglyceride were determined simultaneously. There was not any meaningful recovery in EF and LVEDD and serum Lipids, between the case and control group 6 months after treatment with 1 gr/day Carnitine. There was only a meaningful difference in EF after 6 months duration of this study. In spite of this, there was a meaningful recovery with these patients anemia (P?0.05). Carnitine does not have a meaningful effect of heart function and serum Lipid level, but it has an efficacy on anemia recovery of such patients.