Abstract
We have studied the effect of haemodialysis (HD) on the concentrations of total (TC), free (FC) and acyl (AC) carnitine, as well as the ratio of AC to FC, in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of 44 healthy subjects (23 men and 21 women) and 36 patients (24 men and 12 women) with chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN). The mean pre-dialysis concentrations of TC, FC and AC were not significantly different from those in the healthy controls (P > 0.05). However, after HD, peripheral blood lymphocyte concentrations of TC, FC and AC declined significantly as compared to either pre-dialysis patients (TC 55%, FC 60%, AC 44%) or healthy controls (TC 58%, FC 60%, AC 46%), P < 0.01. Furthermore, after HD, the ratio of AC to FC was significantly higher than in either pre-dialysis patients (38%) or healthy controls (41%), P < 0.01. Possible explanation(s) for the significant variations of peripheral blood lymphocyte concentrations of carnitine are discussed. Med Sci Res 27:185-188 (C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.