فهرست نشریات علمی دسترسی آزاد ایران

Results: After six months of oral low doses administration of L-carnitine, plasma total (TC) and FC levels increased and reached a plateau (at almost two times the initial levels) being at 12 months significantly higher than in the controls. During L-carnitine treatment a significant increase of mean Hb concentration was observed. Patients who responded (14/26) to L-carnitine differed from those who did not respond, with significantly longer dialysis time and lower both initial FC concentrations and FC/TC ratio. The following changes in erythrocyte metabolism were noticed: 1) glycolytic enzymes: significant increase of erythrocyte sodium, potassium ATPase, hexokinase and lactate dehydrogenase activities, 2) glycolytic intermediates: increase of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate and decrease of adenosine triphosphate concentrations, 3) decrease of the glucose uptake and lactate production by erythrocytes. Conclusions: 1. L-carnitine may ameliorate anemia in some hemodialysis patients. 2. L-carnitine induces metabolic changes in erythrocytes. 3. Long-term maintenance hemodialysis patients may benefit most from L-carnitine supplementation. 4. Low doses of L-carnitine are effective in restoring the plasma carnitine pool.