TY - JOUR
T1 - Clinical effects of L-carnitine supplementation on apnea and growth in very low birth weight infants
AU - Whitfield, Jonathan
AU - Smith, Twyala
AU - Sollohub, Heather
AU - Sweetman, Lawrence
AU - Roe, Charles R.
PY - 2003/3/1
Y1 - 2003/3/1
N2 - Objective. Systemic carnitine deficiency may present with apnea, hypotonia, and poor growth. Premature infants often manifest these symptoms and are at risk of developing carnitine deficiency because of immaturity of the biosynthetic pathway, lack of sufficient predelivery transplacental transport, and lack of sufficient exogenous supplementation. This study was undertaken to examine the effect of carnitine supplementation in premature infants. Methods. Eighty preterm pretem infants <1500 g were enrolled in a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of carnitine supplementation within 96 hours of delivery. Growth, length of hospital stay, and frequency and severity of apnea were the primary outcome measures. Results. Weight gain and change in length, frontooccipital head circumference, mid arm circumference, and triceps skinfold thickness were similar between the carnitine-supplemented and placebo groups. The amount and severity of apnea and the overall length of hospitalization were also similar between the 2 groups. The carnitine levels in the supplemented group were significantly higher than in the placebo group at 4 and 8 weeks after study entry. Conclusion. Although preterm infants <1500 g have low carnitine levels, routine supplementation with carnitine has no demonstrable effect on growth, apnea, or length of hospitalization and thus seems to be unnecessary.
AB - Objective. Systemic carnitine deficiency may present with apnea, hypotonia, and poor growth. Premature infants often manifest these symptoms and are at risk of developing carnitine deficiency because of immaturity of the biosynthetic pathway, lack of sufficient predelivery transplacental transport, and lack of sufficient exogenous supplementation. This study was undertaken to examine the effect of carnitine supplementation in premature infants. Methods. Eighty preterm pretem infants <1500 g were enrolled in a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of carnitine supplementation within 96 hours of delivery. Growth, length of hospital stay, and frequency and severity of apnea were the primary outcome measures. Results. Weight gain and change in length, frontooccipital head circumference, mid arm circumference, and triceps skinfold thickness were similar between the carnitine-supplemented and placebo groups. The amount and severity of apnea and the overall length of hospitalization were also similar between the 2 groups. The carnitine levels in the supplemented group were significantly higher than in the placebo group at 4 and 8 weeks after study entry. Conclusion. Although preterm infants <1500 g have low carnitine levels, routine supplementation with carnitine has no demonstrable effect on growth, apnea, or length of hospitalization and thus seems to be unnecessary.
KW - Apnea
KW - Carnitine supplementation
KW - Growth
KW - Very low birth weight infants
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U2 - 10.1542/peds.111.3.477
DO - 10.1542/peds.111.3.477
M3 - Article
C2 - 12612224
AN - SCOPUS:0037339661
SN - 0031-4005
VL - 111
SP - 477
EP - 482
JO - Pediatrics
JF - Pediatrics
IS - 3
ER -