Alteration of ammonia and carnitine levels in short-term treatment with pivalic acid-containing prodrug.

We investigated the influence on mitochondrial functions in carnitine deficiency caused by short-term treatment of cefteram-pivoxil (CFTM-PI) which is one of pivaloyloxymethyl-esterified antibiotics in adult volunteers and diseased children. Administration of CFTM-PI caused hypocarnitinemia in all cases, and we observed a significant elevation of blood ammonia levels compared with those after its withdrawal in diseased children. A significant negative correlation was found between the levels of serum free carnitine and blood ammonia, and a positive correlation was observed between serum carnitine and blood glutamine levels in all adult samples and samples during administration in diseased children. Our data suggest that these antibiotic medications affect the mitochondrial function even in a short-term treatment and that L-carnitine supplementation would be necessary for patients treated with CFTM-PI.