Clinical Effects of Carnitin Supplementation on Hypoglycemia, Apnea and Sepsis in Very Low Birth Weight Neonates

Abstract

Background 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. Objective This study was undertaken to examine the effect of carnitine supplementation on hypoglycemia, apnea and sepsis in premature infants. Methods In this clinical study 60 preterm infants less than <1500 g birth weight were enrolled. The subjects in the carnitine group received 20 mg/kg/day oral supplemental by nasogastric tube in addition to routine nursing care within 96 hours of birth. Episodes of apnea, hypoglycemia and sepsis were the primary outcome measures recorded. The control group received routine nursing care. Results Episodes of apnea and the hypoglycemia were similar between the two groups. (P=0.55 and 0.69 respectively). Conclusion: In this study treatment with carnitine supplementation had no effect on apnea, hypoglycemia and sepsis in very low birth weight neonates.