L-carnitine Supplementation Improves Self-rating Depression Scale Scores in Uremic Male Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis

Title:L-carnitine Supplementation Improves Self-rating Depression Scale Scores in Uremic Male Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis

Volume: 14 Issue: 6

Author(s): Kyoko Tashiro, Yusuke Kaida, Sho-ichi Yamagishi, Hideharu Tanaka, Miyuki Yokoro, Junko Yano, Kazuko Sakai, Yuka Kurokawa, Kensei Taguchi, Yosuke Nakayama, Takahiro Inokuchi and Kei Fukami*

Affiliation:

• Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahimachi, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011,Japan

Keywords: Carnitine, depression, hemodialysis, SDS, uremic male patients, mood disorder.

Abstract: Background: Depression is highly prevalent in uremic patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). We previously found that low free-carnitine levels are associated with depression severity in male patients undergoing HD. However, whether L-carnitine supplementation improves the depression state in male patients undergoing HD remains unclear.

Methods: Sixteen male patients undergoing HD were orally administered 900 mg L-carnitine daily or intravenously administered 1000 mg L-carnitine immediately after undergoing HD for 3 months. The depression state and various types of carnitine levels were evaluated using the self-rating depression scale (SDS) and tandem mass spectrometry, respectively, at baseline and 3 months after treatment.

Results: L-carnitine supplementation significantly increased serum levels of free and other acylcarnitine types, associated with improved SDS scores in male patients undergoing HD. Univariate analysis revealed that low baseline butyryl- and isovaleryl-/2-methylbutyryl-carnitine levels were significantly correlated with SDS scores after treatment. Multiple regression analysis revealed that butyrylcarnitine levels were a sole independent predictor of SDS scores after treatment (r2 = 0.533).

Conclusion: L-carnitine supplementation for 3 months improved the depression state in uremic male patients undergoing HD. Thus, low butyryl-carnitine levels may predict the clinical response to L-carnitine supplementation in male patients undergoing HD and who have mild depression.

Cite this article as:

Tashiro Kyoko, Kaida Yusuke, Yamagishi Sho-ichi, Tanaka Hideharu, Yokoro Miyuki, Yano Junko, Sakai Kazuko, Kurokawa Yuka, Taguchi Kensei, Nakayama Yosuke, Inokuchi Takahiro and Fukami Kei*, L-carnitine Supplementation Improves Self-rating Depression Scale Scores in Uremic Male Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis, Letters in Drug Design & Discovery 2017; 14 (6) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1570180814666170216102632

DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1570180814666170216102632	Print ISSN 1570-1808
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher	Online ISSN 1875-628X