l-Carnitine Supplementation in Childhood Epilepsy: Current Perspectives (original) (raw)

In November 1996, a panel of pediatric neurologists met to update the consensus statement issued in 1989 by a panel of neurologists and metabolic experts on L-carnitine supplementation in childhood epilepsy. The panelists agreed that intravenous L-carnitine supplementation is clearly indicated for valproate (VPA)-induced hepatotoxicity, overdose, and other acute metabolic crises associated with carnitine deficiency. Oral supplementation is clearly indicated for the primary plasmalemmal carnitine transporter defect. The panelists concurred that oral L-carnitine supplementation is strongly suggested for the following groups as we& patients with certain In August of 1989, the Pediatric Neurology Advisory Committee (on Carnitine and Seizures) to Sigma-Tau Pharmaceuticals issued a consensus statement on the subject of L-carnitine supplementation for patients taking valproate (VPA) for-epilepsy. The Committee recommended the prophylactic administration of L-carnitine to all children younger than 2 years who were taking VPA and the selective administration of L-carnitine to all children who had evidence of carnitine deficiency. Carnitine deficiency was defined as a plasma free concentration of S20 pM at an age older than 1 week after term or a plasma esterified-to-free ratio of 30.4 at an age older than 1 week after term. Many neurologists still subscribe