ABSTRACT
Dyslipidemia and high serum lipoprotein[a] are among the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in hemodialysis patients. Statins as a first line of therapy in hyperlipidemia does not always reduce the serum lipoprotein[a] level. Several studies have reported the lipid-lowering effects of carnitine and coenzyme Q10 in hemodialysis patients. This study was designed to investigate the effects of carnitine and coenzyme Q10 on serum lipid profile and lipoprotein[a] level in maintenance hemodialysis patients. This was a randomized placebo-controlled trial. We studied on hemodialysis patients who were on treatment with atorvastatin or lovastatin to assess the efficacy of supplement therapy. They were divided into 4 groups to receive carnitine, coenzyme Q10, both carnitine and coenzyme Q10, and placebo. After a 3-month experiment, blood samples were collected to measure serum levels of lipoprotein[a], triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Fifty-two hemodialysis patients, 27 men and 25 women, completed the course of the study. Three months after supplement therapy, serum levels of lipoprotein[a] reduced significantly in the carnitine, coenzyme Q10, and combination groups compared to the baseline values and the 3-month value of lipoprotein[a] in the placebo group [P = .01]. Serum levels of triglyceride and other lipoproteins did not significantly alter. Our study showed that supplementation with carnitine and coenzyme Q10 could reduce serum levels of lipoprotein[a] in maintenance hemodialysis patients treated with statins