Carnitine reduced erythropoietin dose required and improved cardiac function of patients on maintenance hemodialysis

Abstract

Intravenous administration of 2 g carnitine in every hemodialysis (3 times/week), for 8-10 months, reduced doses of darbepoetin alfa required to maintain adequate hemoglobin levels (10-11 g/dL) into 10% of the initial doses. There was also a significant increase in plasma transferrin saturation, increase in left ventricular ejection fraction, and decrease in plasma brain natriuretic peptides.