Carnitine and zinc deficiency in chronic liver diseases, as well as their frequency and correlation to other liver biochemical markers

Abstract

We clarify the frequency of carnitine and zinc deficiency in chronic liver diseases. Carnitine and zinc as well as ammonia, albumin and BTR (BCAA/Tyr) were measured in 41 patients with chronic hepatitis (CH) and 88 with liver cirrhosis (LC) with or without hepatocellular carcinoma. No differences were found in free carnitine level among the three groups, but acylcarnitine was high and zinc was low in two LC groups. No cases fulfilled the criteria for carnitine deficiency, but mild deficiency was found in approximately 20% of LC cases. Zinc deficiency and mild zinc deficiency were found in 0% and 31.7% of CH cases, respectively, and in approximately 30% and 40% of LC cases, respectively. Correlation was found between zinc, acylcarnitine, and several biological markers described above, but not between free carnitine and these markers. Our study clarified the frequency of carnitine and zinc deficiency in chronic liver diseases.