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Plasma and urine free L-Carnitine in human diabetes mellitus

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Summary

L-carnitine is essential for the transport of long-chain fatty acids into mitochondria and their oxidation. Recently, a relationship between plasma free fatty acids (FFA) and L-carnitine metabolism has been observed. Plasma free L-carnitine (FC), FFA, triglycerides, cholesterol, blood glucose concentration and daily excretion of FC were determined in 20 diabetic patients as well as in 18 control subjects. Both in male diabetics and in male controls, plasma FC was significantly higher than in females. Mean plasma FC was found to be significantly reduced in diabetics (21 ± 2vs 35 ± 2 Μmol/1 in non-diabetic subjects; p<0.005). Daily urinary excretion of FC was clearly lower in diabetic patients than in controls (172 ± 34vs 403 ± 38 Μmol/24 h; p<0.001). The reduced plasma FC in diabetes mellitus may be due to redistribution between circulating free and esterified carnitine and to increased utilization of FC for synthesis of acylcarnitine in tissues.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto di Semeiotica Medica, Università degli Studi di Padova, Ospedale Civile, Padova

    Elio De Palo, Rosalba Gatti, Nicola Sicolo, Roberto Vettor & Giovanni Federspil

  2. Centro Antidiabetico, Università degli Studi di Padova, Ospedale Civile, Padova

    Elio De Palo, Rosalba Gatti, Nicola Sicolo, Domenico Padovan, Roberto Vettor & Giovanni Federspil

Authors
  1. Elio De Palo
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  2. Rosalba Gatti
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  3. Nicola Sicolo
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  4. Domenico Padovan
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  5. Roberto Vettor
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  6. Giovanni Federspil
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De Palo, E., Gatti, R., Sicolo, N. et al. Plasma and urine free L-Carnitine in human diabetes mellitus. Acta diabet. lat 18, 91–95 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02056110

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02056110

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