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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Indian J Med Paediatr Oncol 2011; 32(01): 38-42
DOI: 10.4103/0971-5851.81889
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Carnitine levels and cardiac functions in children with solid malignancies receiving doxorubicin therapy

Anant Khositseth
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
,
Suwadee Jirasakpisarn
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
,
Samart Pakakasama
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
,
Lulin Choubtuym
Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
,
Duangrurdee Wattanasirichaigoon
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
› Author Affiliations Source of Support Mahidol University (2552-4)
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Abstract

Aim: Previous studies demonstrated l-carnitine decreasing doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Our objectives were to study carnitine levels and cardiac functions in children treated with doxorubicin and the effect of short-term l-carnitine supplements. Materials and Methods: Serial carnitine levels and cardiac functions were obtained in children with newly diagnosed solid malignancies before doxorubicin, after cumulative doses of ≥150 mg/m 2 and ≥300 mg/m 2 , respectively. Oral l-carnitine 100 mg/kg/day for 3 days were given to the children treated with doxorubicin at cumulative doses of ≥150 mg/m 2 and ≥300 mg/m 2 . Carnitine levels and cardiac functions were also obtained in those children before and after short-term oral l-carnitine at each cumulative dose of doxorubicin. Results: Five children (3 females), median age of 9.1 years (range 1.5-13 years) with newly diagnosed solid malignancies were enrolled in the study. Free carnitine (FC) tended to decrease while acyl-carnitine (AC) increased making AC/FC ratio increased after cumulative dose of ≥150 and ≥300 mg/m 2 but the statistics was not significant. Left ventricular (LV) systolic function was not significantly changed. Interestingly, LV global function (LV myocardial performance index) was significantly increased after 150 mg/m 2 (median 0.39, 0.27-0.51) and 300 mg/m 2 (median 0.46, 0.27-0.50) when compared to baseline (median 0.28, 0.14-0.48) (P=0.05). Carnitine levels and cardiac functions were not significantly changed after oral l-carnitine supplement at cumulative dose of ≥150 mg/m 2 (n=6) and ≥300 mg/m 2 (n=9). Conclusions: Carnitine levels tended to decrease after doxorubicin treatment. LV global dysfunction was documented early after doxorubicin. However, short-term l-carnitine supplement did not improve cardiac function.

Keywords

Anthracycline - cardiac function - cardiac toxicity - children


Publication History

Article published online:
16 August 2021

© 2011. Indian Society of Medical and Paediatric Oncology. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.)

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