Published in:
01-12-2007 | Short Communication
l-carnitine as an Adjunct Therapy to Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Non-ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Published in: Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy | Issue 6/2007
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Objectives
To evaluate the effects of l-carnitine as an adjunct therapy to percutanenous coronary intervention (PCI) for non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTEMI).
Materials and methods
Ninety-six consecutive patients with NSTEMI were randomized into treatment group (l-carnitine 5 g IV bolus followed by 10 g/day IV infusion for 3 days), and control group. All patients also underwent PCI within 24 h from the onset of chest pain. The peak values of creatine kinase-MB and troponin-I before and after PCI were observed.
Results
In the treatment group, the peak values of creatine kinase-MB were significantly lower than the control group at 12 h and 24 h after PCI (P < 0.01). The peak values of troponin-I in the treatment group were also lower than the control group at 8 h after PCI (P < 0.01). Multivariate regression analysis showed that l-carnitine therapy was an independent predictor for the reduction of creatine kinase-MB (r = 0.596, P < 0.001) or troponin-I (r = 0.633, P < 0.001).
Conclusion
l-carnitine adjunct therapy appears to be associated with a reduced level of cardiac markers in patients with NSTEMI. These results support a larger clinical trial to investigate the effect of l-carnitine on cardiac events following PCI.