The supplementation of acetyl-L-carnitine decreases fatigue and increases quality of life in patients with hepatitis C treated with pegylated interferon-α 2b plus ribavirin

J Interferon Cytokine Res. 2011 Sep;31(9):653-9. doi: 10.1089/jir.2011.0010.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether supplementation of acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) to pegylated-interferon-α 2b (Peg-IFN-α 2b) and ribavirin (RBV) improves the health-related quality of life during the treatment for chronic hepatitis C, thereby decreasing the risk of treatment discontinuation. Sixty patients with chronic hepatitis C underwent treatment with Peg-IFN-α 2b + RBV (group A; n = 29) or Peg-IFN-α 2b + RBV + ALC (group B; n = 31) for 12 months. At the end of the study, the comparison between group A and group B showed significant differences in aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (-80.9 versus -110.3; P < 0.001), alanine aminotransferase (-111.6 versus -134.7; P < 0.001), Viremia (-3.26 versus -3.82; P < 0.05), mental health (0 versus 11; P < 0.001), physical functioning (-1 versus 8; P < 0.001), role-physical (1 versus 13; P < 0.001), bodily pain (1 versus 12; P < 0.001), general health (3 versus 12; P < 0.001), vitality (3 versus 13; P < 0.001), social functioning (3 versus 10; P < 0.001), physical fatigue (2.1 versus -5.4; P < 0.001), mental fatigue (-0.7 versus -2.7; P < 0.001), and fatigue severity scale (-3.4 versus -12; P < 0.001). ALC supplementation reduced both mental and physical fatigue, improved health-related quality of life, and, therefore, has the potential to increase patient adherence to the combination regimen. This, in turn, may increase the percentage of patients achieving a sustained virological response.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcarnitine / administration & dosage
  • Acetylcarnitine / therapeutic use*
  • Adult
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Fatigue / drug therapy*
  • Female
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / drug therapy*
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / pathology
  • Humans
  • Interferon alpha-2
  • Interferon-alpha / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Polyethylene Glycols / therapeutic use*
  • Quality of Life*
  • Recombinant Proteins / therapeutic use
  • Ribavirin / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Interferon alpha-2
  • Interferon-alpha
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Ribavirin
  • Acetylcarnitine
  • peginterferon alfa-2b