CARNITINE AFFECTS ON ANEMIA IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS ON PERITONEAL DIALYSIS TREATED WITH ERYTHROPOIETIN

Therapy of the anemia is a serious problem in patients with chronic renal failure. Several reports on adult patients have shown that supplementation with Lcarnitine can decrease the requirement for rhEPO. We investigated this subject in 20 children on peritoneal dialysis with a median age of 11.2 years. After obtaining baseline data, all children were supplemented with L-carnitine 50 mg/kg/day. At baseline, free carnitine levels were lower than that of controls, although total carnitine levels were similar. At the end of the study, total, free and acyl carnitine levels increased while there was no significant change in hemoglobin levels or iron parameters. In conclusion, we could not demonstrate any beneficial effect of supplementation with L-carnitine on hemoglobin or iron parameters in children on peritoneal dialysis.