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Serum carnitine levels and levocarnitine supplementation in institutionalized Huntington’s disease patients

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Abstract

Along with antioxidant properties, carnitine is an important regulator of lipid metabolism in humans. While beneficial effects of carnitine have been demonstrated in animal models of Huntington’s disease (HD), metabolism of carnitine has not been studied in humans with this illness. In this retrospective database review from 23 patients admitted to a HD-specialized nursing home unit, we found a relatively high prevalence of hypocarnitinemia (6 cases, 26%). Our review suggests that catabolism and chronic valproate use predisposed our patients to develop hypocarnitinemia. The patients with low serum carnitine levels who received levocarnitine supplementation, during a mean period of 7.3 months, showed improvement in motor, cognitive and behavioral measures. We hypothesize that observed improvement related to the resolution of reversible metabolic encephalopathy and myopathy associated with secondary carnitine deficiency. In conclusion, notwithstanding its limitations, this is the first study to report measurements of carnitine levels in HD patients, revealing relatively high prevalence of hypocarnitinemia in our population. Our findings suggest that HD patients with hypocarnitinemia may benefit from low-dose levocarnitine supplementation. Further studies of carnitine metabolism and supplementation in HD patients are warranted.

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Conflict of interest

The authors certify that there is no actual or potential conflict of interest in relation to this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mental Health, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA

    Miroslav Cuturic

  2. Department of Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Science, Hall Institute of Psychiatry, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA

    Ruth K. Abramson

  3. Department of Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA

    Robert R. Moran

  4. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA

    James W. Hardin

  5. Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA

    Elaine M. Frank

  6. Genetic Counseling Program, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA

    Andrea A. Sellers

  7. Department of Neurology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, 8 Medical Park, Suite 420, Columbia, SC, 29203, USA

    Miroslav Cuturic

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  1. Miroslav Cuturic
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  2. Ruth K. Abramson
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  3. Robert R. Moran
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  4. James W. Hardin
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  5. Elaine M. Frank
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  6. Andrea A. Sellers
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Correspondence to Miroslav Cuturic.

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Cuturic, M., Abramson, R.K., Moran, R.R. et al. Serum carnitine levels and levocarnitine supplementation in institutionalized Huntington’s disease patients. Neurol Sci 34, 93–98 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-012-0952-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-012-0952-x

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