BACKGROUND The level and profiles of blood free carnitine and acylcarnitines, obtained by acylcarnitine analysis using tandem mass spectrometry, reflect various metabolic conditions. We aimed to examine the level of free carnitine and acylcarnitines in liver cirrhosis patients by acylcarnitine analysis and determine the clinical and subjective factors associated with blood carnitine fraction levels in liver cirrhosis. METHODS We compared blood carnitine fractions in 54 liver cirrhotic patients to other laboratory test results and questionnaire answers. RESULTS In almost all patients, the blood levels of free carnitine (C0) and acetylcarnitine (C2) were within the normal reference range. However, in some patients, the levels of long-chain acylcarnitines, such as C16 and C18:1-acylcarnitine, were higher than the normal reference range. Liver function, assessed by Child-Pugh score, was significantly correlated with the blood level of each carnitine fraction measured (C0, C2, C3, C4, C6, C10, C12, C12:1, C14:1, C16, C18:1, and C18:2-acylcarnitine). Cirrhotic symptom score was significantly correlated with C0, C2, C3, C16, and C18-1-acylcarnitine blood levels. Among the 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36) items, the physical component summary was significantly associated with C0, C2, and C18-1-acylcarnitine blood levels. CONCLUSIONS Carnitine fraction levels were positively correlated with liver cirrhosis stage, particularly, long-chain acylcarnitines. Moreover, carnitine fraction levels were associated with various subjective physical symptoms in liver cirrhosis patients.

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串联质谱法测定肝硬化患者的血肉碱含量

背景技术通过使用串联质谱法的酰基肉碱分析获得的无血肉碱和酰基肉碱的水平和概况反映了各种代谢状况。我们旨在通过酰基肉碱分析来检查肝硬化患者中游离肉碱和酰基肉碱的水平，并确定与肝硬化血液中肉碱含量相关的临床和主观因素。方法我们将54例肝硬化患者的血肉碱含量与其他实验室测试结果和问卷答案进行了比较。结果几乎所有患者的游离肉碱（C0）和乙酰肉碱（C2）的血液水平均在正常参考范围内。但是，在某些患者中，长链酰基肉碱（例如C16和C18：1-酰基肉碱）的水平高于正常参考范围。通过Child-Pugh评分评估的肝功能与所测量的每个肉碱成分的血液水平显着相关（C0，C2，C3，C4，C6，C10，C12，C12：1，C14：1，C16，C18：1 ，和C18：2-酰基肉碱）。肝硬化症状评分与C0，C2，C3，C16和C18-1-酰基肉碱的血液水平显着相关。在36个项目的简短健康调查（SF-36）项目中，身体成分的摘要与C0，C2和C18-1-酰基肉碱的血液含量显着相关。结论肉碱含量与肝硬化阶段呈正相关，特别是长链酰基肉碱。此外，肉毒碱含量水平与肝硬化患者的各种主观身体症状有关。与每个所测量的肉碱含量（C0，C2，C3，C4，C6，C10，C12，C12：1，C14：1，C16，C18：1和C18：2-酰基肉碱）的血药浓度显着相关。肝硬化症状评分与C0，C2，C3，C16和C18-1-酰基肉碱的血液水平显着相关。在36个项目的简短健康调查（SF-36）项目中，物理成分摘要与C0，C2和C18-1-酰基肉碱的血液含量显着相关。结论肉碱含量与肝硬化阶段呈正相关，特别是长链酰基肉碱。此外，肉毒碱含量水平与肝硬化患者的各种主观身体症状有关。与每个所测量的肉碱含量（C0，C2，C3，C4，C6，C10，C12，C12：1，C14：1，C16，C18：1和C18：2-酰基肉碱）的血药浓度显着相关。肝硬化症状评分与C0，C2，C3，C16和C18-1-酰基肉碱的血液水平显着相关。在36个项目的简短健康调查（SF-36）项目中，物理成分摘要与C0，C2和C18-1-酰基肉碱的血液含量显着相关。结论肉碱含量与肝硬化阶段呈正相关，特别是长链酰基肉碱。此外，肉毒碱含量水平与肝硬化患者的各种主观身体症状有关。肝硬化症状评分与C0，C2，C3，C16和C18-1-酰基肉碱的血液水平显着相关。在36个项目的简短健康调查（SF-36）项目中，物理成分摘要与C0，C2和C18-1-酰基肉碱的血液含量显着相关。结论肉碱含量与肝硬化阶段呈正相关，特别是长链酰基肉碱。此外，肉毒碱含量水平与肝硬化患者的各种主观身体症状有关。肝硬化症状评分与C0，C2，C3，C16和C18-1-酰基肉碱的血液水平显着相关。在36个项目的简短健康调查（SF-36）项目中，物理成分摘要与C0，C2和C18-1-酰基肉碱的血液含量显着相关。结论肉碱含量与肝硬化阶段呈正相关，特别是长链酰基肉碱。此外，肉毒碱含量水平与肝硬化患者的各种主观身体症状有关。结论肉碱含量与肝硬化阶段呈正相关，特别是长链酰基肉碱。此外，肉毒碱含量水平与肝硬化患者的各种主观身体症状有关。结论肉碱含量与肝硬化阶段呈正相关，特别是长链酰基肉碱。此外，肉毒碱含量水平与肝硬化患者的各种主观身体症状有关。