Effect of levocarnitine supplementation on myocardial strain in children with acute kidney injury receiving continuous kidney replacement therapy: a pilot study

Abstract

Background Carnitine plays a key role in energy production in the myocardium and is efficiently removed by continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT). Effects of levocarnitine supplementation on myocardial function in children receiving CKRT have not been investigated. Methods This controlled pilot cohort study of 48 children investigated effects of levocarnitine supplementation on myocardial strain in children receiving CKRT for acute kidney injury (AKI). Children ( n = 9) with AKI had total (TC) and free plasma carnitine (FC) measurements and echocardiogram for longitudinal and circumferential strain at baseline (prior to CKRT) and follow-up (on CKRT for > 1 week with intravenous levocarnitine supplementation, 20 mg/kg/day). Intervention group was compared with three controls: (1) CKRT controls ( n = 10) received CKRT > 1 week (+AKI, no levocarnitine), (2) ICU controls ( n = 9) were parenteral nutrition-dependent for > 1 week (no AKI, no levocarnitine), and (3) healthy controls ( n = 20). Results In the Intervention group, TC and FC increased from 36.0 and 18 μmol/L to 93.5 and 74.5 μmol/L after supplementation. TC and FC of unsupplemented CKRT controls declined from 27.2 and 18.6 μmol/L to 12.4 and 6.6 μmol/L, which was lower vs. ICU controls (TC 32.0, FC 26.0 μmol/L), p < 0.05. Longitudinal and circumferential strain of the Intervention group improved from − 18.5% and − 18.3% to − 21.1% and − 27.6% after levocarnitine supplementation; strain of CKRT controls (-14.4%, -20%) remained impaired and was lower vs. Intervention and Healthy Control groups at follow-up, p < 0.05. Conclusions Levocarnitine supplementation is associated with repletion of plasma carnitine and improvement in myocardial strain and may benefit pediatric patients undergoing prolonged CKRT.