Effects of carnitine administration in patients with chronic renal failure undergoing periodic dialysis, evaluated by computerized electromyography.

The effects of chronic administration of L-carnitine were evaluated by EMG analysis in 20 uraemic patients undergoing periodical haemodialysis (mean duration of dialysis 34.7 months). No important changes in motor conduction velocity or distal latency of the external popliteal nerve were found after the treatment, while a reduction in the number of polyphasic muscle action potentials was observed. After carnitine administration, an increase of total EMG power was noted and the spectral array showed a progressive shift towards lower frequencies in 8 patients who had shown higher values. These results suggest that carnitine has a prevalent "myotrophic" effect.