Efficacy of L-carnitine on liver function in childrens under chemotherapy with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Abstract Background Patients who are to receive chemotherapy require careful assessment of liver function prior to treatment to determine which drugs may not be appropriate, and which drug doses should be modified. Following therapy abnormalities of liver function tests may be due to the therapy rather than to progressive disease, and this distinction is of critical importance. Toxicity such as hepatotoxicity could be reduced by L-Carnitine (L.C) with out affecting its anti-cancer therapeutic efficacy. The objectives of the present study were to assess the role of L-Carnitine by evaluating the liver functions. Materials and Methods We performed randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, the number of 64 ALL patients were enrolled in our study. Patients was randomly divided into two groups (each group 32 patients), and using double-blind administration, group A was treated with L-Carnitine and group B with placebo for 90 days. Results We observed differences in serum AST level 3,7,30 days after chemotherapy (p=0.006, p < 0.001, p= 0.001), serum ALT level 7,30 days after chemotherapy (p=0.009, p < 0.001), serum ALK-P level after 30,90 days after chemotherapy (p < 0.001), Prothrombin time 3,7,30 days after chemotherapy (p=0.017, p=0.010, p=0.012).No significant differences were observed in Alb and GGT in either group of patients treated with L-Carnitin or placebo. Conclusion The benefits of L-Carnitine in comparison with placebo are demonstrated in reduction serum AST, ALT, ALK-P and PT but not in Alb and GGT. These issues deserved to evaluate the value of L-Carnitine in ALL patients.