L-Carnitine Improves the Asthma Control in Children with Moderate Persistent Asthma

Table 6

Free and total serum carnitine levels, pulmonary functions, and C-ACT in patient subgroups before and after carnitine supplementation and the placebo group.

		Subgroup A (with L-Carnitine); (𝑛=25)	Subgroup B (placebo); (𝑛=25)	t	𝑃
Free carnitine (umol/L)	Bef.	30.3±1.7	30.4±1.8	0.17	>0.05
	Aft.	41±5	31±2	10	<0.001*
Total carnitine (umol/L)	Bef.	39.6±2.3	40.6±2.8	1.23	>0.05
	Aft.	50±4	42±3	47.56	<0.001*
FEV1% predicted	Bef.	70.5±3.2	71.3±4.2	𝑡1 0.66; 𝑡2 15	>0.05; <0.001*
	Aft.	76.2±3.4	71.4±4.6	𝑡3 3.5; 𝑡4 0.96	< 0.01*; >0.05
FEV1/FVC	Bef.	60.1±4.5	60.2±4.6	𝑡1 0.8; 𝑡2 25	>0.05; <0.001*
	Aft.	71±4.4	61±4.5	𝑡3 7.3; 𝑡4 3.2	<0.001*; <0.01*
C-ACT	Bef.	13.4±1.5	12.8±1.3	𝑡1 1.8; 𝑡2 18	>0.05; <0.001*
	Aft	16.5±1.7	13.3±1.4	𝑡3 7.1; 𝑡4 2.7	<0.001*; >0.05

C-ACT: Childhood-Asthma control test. FEV1: Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second. FEV1/FVC: Forced Expiratory Volume in 1st second/Forced Vital Capacity Ratio.
𝑡₁ between subgroup A & subgroup B before carnitine supplementation.
𝑡₂ between subgroup A Before & after 6 months of carnitine supplementation.
𝑡₃ between subgroup A & subgroup B after 6 months of carnitine supplementation to subgroup A.
𝑡₄ between subgroup B before & after 6 months of followup.
(*) P < 0.05 is significant.
There was significant increase in total and free serum carnitine levels in L-Carnitine-supplemented group than before starting the treatment and also when compared with the placebo group. After L-Carnitine supplementation, the pulmonary function tests and C-ACT showed significant improvement in the Carnitine supplemented group when compared to presupplementation or the placebo group. However, the total and free serum carnitine levels did not show any significant change after treatment in placebo group. There was also statistically significant improvement in pulmonary function tests and C-ACT in placebo group before and after treatment.