1043-3155 Pediatr Neurol Briefs pedneurbriefs Pediatr Neurol Briefs Pediatric Neurology Briefs Pediatr Neurol Briefs 2166-6482 1043-3155 2166-3155 Pediatric Neurology Briefs Publishers Chicago, IL, USA PNB-10-45-b 10.15844/pedneurbriefs-10-6-6 Anticonvulsant Drug Toxicity Neurology Pediatrics Nervous System Diseases Child Development Brain Diseases Neurosurgery Child Infant Carnitine in Valproate-Induced Hyperammonemia http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0173-7931 Millichap J. Gordon MD 1 2 * Division of Neurology, Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL Correspondence: Dr. J. Gordon Millichap, E-mail: jgmillichap@northwestern.edu 06 1996 01 06 2016 10 6 45 46 Copyright: © 1996 The Author(s) 1996 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The effect of carnitine supplementation in valproate-induced hyperammonaemia

The effect of carnitine supplementation in valproic acid (VPA) treated patients presenting with hyperammonemia was investigated in 69 children and young adults seen at the Zentrum der Kinderheilkunde, Goethe-Universitat Frankfurt, and Universitat Erlanger, FRG.

 Carnitine Supplementation Valproic Acid Hyperammonemia

The effect of carnitine supplementation in valproic acid (VPA) treated patients presenting with hyperammonemia was investigated in 69 children and young adults seen at the Zentrum der Kinderheilkunde, Goethe-Universitat Frankfurt, and Universitat Erlanger, FRG. Plasma total carnitine was low (27 mcmol/1 cf normal of 40 mcmol/1) in 48 tested. After supplements of carnitine (1 gm/m2 per day) in 15 patients, the plasma ammonia decreased by 25% after 9 days and 46% after 80 days. The plasma free carnitine was increased by 12%. Plasma ammonia concentrations were significantly correlated with free plasma carnitine %. [1]

COMMENT. Carnitine supplementation was recommended in VPA-treated patients with hyperammonemia. The risk of VPA-induced Reye’s-like syndrome could not be determined from this study.

Bohles H Sewell AC Wenzel D The effect of carnitine supplementation in valproate-induced hyperammonaemia Acta Paediatr 1996 Apr 85 4 446 449 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1996.tb14058.x 8740302