Evaluation of neuroprtective effects of L-Carnitine and Fat emulsion in the CVA patients: a prospective, randomized, double blind, clinical trial

Stroke was the second most frequent cause of death after coronary artery disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of L-carnitine and Intralipid Fat emulsion alone and in combination in patients with ischemic stroke. In a prospective, RCT, and double-blind study 100 patients with MCA ischemic cerebrovascular accident who were admitted in the first 24 hours of injury entered the study. Patients were randomly assigned into four groups of L-carnitine, Fat emulsion, L-carnitine plus Fat emulsion and control. 500 ml of Fat emulsion 10% was infused over 6 to 12 hours and 1 gr of l-carnitine was given orally to patients in addition to common therapies, according to the (AHA/ASA) guidelines. Blood samples before the intervention, then after 24 hours, 48 hours and 7 days later were taken and immunoenzymatic colorimetric method was used for quantitative determination of S100B concentration in patient’s serum. All of our treatment interventions have decreased S100B levels statistically significant (p < 0.05), Changes in observed levels of S100B before and after intervention were different between the groups and the observed differences were statistically significant (p= 0.01). In the GEE model, it was found that S100B levels in the L-carnitine plus Fat emulsion group decreased more than the control group and this decline has been statistically significant [20.47 (CI 95%: 6.25-34.41)]. Based on the results obtained from this study, it seems that L-carnitine with Intralipid Fat emulsion could lead to neuroprotective effects with a significant reduction in the S100B biomarker