L-CARNITINE DEFICIENCY IN AIDS PATIENTS

Objective: To evaluate carnitine (3-hydroxy-4-N-trimethyl-ammoniobutanoate) deficiency in AIDS patients by measuring serum total, free and short-chain carnitine concentrations. Design: We conducted an open study. Setting: All patients were seen at the Infectious Diseases Clinic, Universita 'La Sapienza' Rome, Italy. Patients, participants: Twenty-nine AIDS patients, aged 27-41 years, with a previous history of drug use; and 14 healthy age- and sex-matched controls were studied. Interventions: Study subjects were administered 500-800 mg zidovudine daily for 2 to 28 months (8 +/- 6 months). Main outcome measures: Carnitine deficiency was suspected in study participants prior to data collection because of previously reported cardiac symptoms, muscle weakness, hypometabolism and or cachexia. Results: A marked decrease in total and free carnitine was observed in 21 (72%) subjects. Nine of these patients also had low levels of short-chain carnitine. Conclusions: AIDS patients may become carnitine-depleted and therefore at risk for alterations in fatty-acid oxidation and energy supply.