Korean J Intern Med.  2022 Jul;37(4):757-767. 10.3904/kjim.2021.338.

Effect of L-carnitine on quality of life in covert hepatic encephalopathy: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

• Yoon EL
• Ahn SB
• Jun DW
• Cho YK
• Song DS
• Jeong JY
• Kim HY
• Jung YK
• Song MJ
• Kim SE
• Kim HS
• Jeong SW
• Kim SG
• Lee TH

• KMID: 2531475
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2021.338

Abstract

Background/Aims
L-carnitine is potentially beneficial in patients with hepatic encephalopathy (HE). We aimed to evaluate the impact of L-carnitine on the quality of life and liver function in patients with liver cirrhosis and covert HE.
Methods
We conducted an investigator-initiated, prospective, multi-center, double- blind, randomized phase III trial in patients with covert HE. A total of 150 patients were randomized 1:1 to L-carnitine (2 g/day) or placebo for 24 weeks. Changes in quality of life and liver function were assessed at 6 months. The model for end-stage liver disease (MELD), the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36), the psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES), and the Stroop Test were evaluated in all patients.
Results
The total SF-36 score significantly improved in the L-carnitine group after 24 weeks (difference: median, 2; interquartile range, 0 to 11; p < 0.001); however, these values were comparable between the two groups. Furthermore, there was a significant ordinal improvement in PHES scores among patients with minimal HE who were in the L-carnitine group (p = 0.007). Changes in the total carnitine level also positively correlated with improvements in the Stroop test in the L-carnitine group (color test, r = 0.3; word test, r = 0.4; inhibition test, r = 0.5; inhibition/switching test, r = 0.3; all p < 0.05). Nevertheless, the MELD scores at week 24 did not differ between the groups.
Conclusions
Twenty-four weeks of L-carnitine supplementation was safe but ineffective in improving quality of life and liver function.

Keyword

Carnitine; Liver cirrhosis; Hepatic encephalopathy; Randomized controlled trials as topic; Stroop test