Effect of levocarnitine on rhEPO dose and microinflammatory state in maintenance hemodialysis patients
10.3724/SP.J.1008.2013.00219
- Author:
Jie SONG
1
Author Information
1. Department of Nephrology, Affiliated Hospital of Logistics College of Chinese People's Armed Police Forces
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Anemia;
Erythropoietin;
Erythropoietin response index;
Levocarnitine;
Microinflammatory state
- From:
Academic Journal of Second Military Medical University
2013;34(2):219-222
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective: To study the effects of levocarnitine on recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) dose and microinflammatory state in maintenance hemodialysis patients. Methods: Totally 326 maintenance hemodialysis patients were randomly divided into 2 groups: the treatment group (n = 163) and the control group (n = 163). The age, gender, course of disease, and conventional treatments were similar in the 2 groups. To maintain the hemoglobin (HB) within 110-120 g/L and hematocrit (HCT) at 33%-35%, the treatment group was given levocarnitine and rhEPO, and the control group was given rhEPO only. The weekly dose of rhEPO (IU/kg) and the erythropoietin response index (ERI) were calculated and compared between the two groups 8 months later. Meanwhile, the serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) was monitored in the 2 groups before and after 8 months. Results: The weekly dose of rhEPO required for the treatment group was significantly lower than that required for the control group ([106±20] IU/kg vs [141±23] IU/kg, P<0. 05); the treatment group also had significantly lower ERI compared with the control group ([0. 93±0. 11] IU · L · kg-1 · g-1 vs [1. 35±0. 29] IU · L · kg-1 · g-1, P<0. 05). Serum hs-CRP level in the treatment group was significantly decreased 8 months after treatment ([5. 21±3. 20] mg/L vs [10. 33±2. 54] mg/L,P<0. 05), and it was also significantly lower than that in the control group after the treatment ([5. 21±3. 20] mg/L vs [9. 93±2. 12] mg/L, P<0. 05). Serum hs-CRP levels were not changed significantly in the control group before and after the treatment. Conclusion: Levocarnitine can reduce the dose of rhEPO in MHD patients, which might be associated with improvements of the microinflammation and erythropoietin resistance in MHD patients.
