L-Carnitine Supplementation Improves Self-Rating Depression Scale Scores in Uremic Male Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis

• Published in: Letters in drug design & discovery Vol. 14; no. 6; p. 737
• Main Authors: Tashiro, Kyoko, Kaida, Yusuke, Yamagishi, Sho-Ichi, Tanaka, Hideharu, Yokoro, Miyuki, Yano, Junko, Sakai, Kazuko, Kurokawa, Yuka, Taguchi, Kensei, Nakayama, Yosuke, Inokuchi, Takahiro, Fukami, Kei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United Arab Emirates 01.01.2017
• Subjects: hemodialysis; SDS; mood disorder; depression; uremic male patients; Carnitine
• ISSN: 1570-1808
• DOI: 10.2174/1570180814666170216102632

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. 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. 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 butyryl-carnitine levels were a sole independent predictor of SDS scores after treatment (r2 = 0.533). 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.