Free carnitine and acylcarnitine levels in peripheral blood of septic infants / 国际儿科学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To analyze levels of carnitine and acylcarnitine in peripheral blood from septic infants and to investigate their changes and clinical values in sepsis in infants.Methods:This retrospective research involved 46 septic infants and 55 infants with noninfectious diseases who were hospitalized in Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine.The clinical data were collected, the levels of carnitine and acylcarnitine in peripheral blood measured by tandem mass spectrometry were compared between the two groups, and the correlations of acylcarnitine levels with CRP and PCT were analyzed respectively.The septic infants were divided into two groups according to whether there were complications or not.The levels of free carnitine and acylcarnitine were compared between the two groups.Results:The levels of C6DC, C14: 1, C14OH and C16OH in peripheral blood were significantly higher in septic infants than those with noninfectious diseases( Z=-2.52、-2.05、-2.68、-2.82, all P<0.05). There is no significant difference in free carnitine level between two groups.These four acylcarnitine levels were positively correlated with PCT( r=0.44、0.44、0.40、0.49, all P<0.01). In septic group, the percent of infants with abnormal levels of C16OH was significantly higher in infants with complications than those without complications( χ2=4.51, P<0.05). Conclusion:The peripheral blood levels of several acylcarnitine elevate in septic infants, and have positive correlations with the strength of infection.Meanwhile, there is a higher proportion of having abnormal level of long chain acylcarnitine among infants with complications than those without complications.These results suggest that lipid metabolism has changed in septic infants and detecting acylcarnitine levels can be helpful in assessing the severity of sepsis.