Effects of L-carnitine in patients with hepatic encephalopathy

Table 1 Baseline data of patients

Parameter	Carnitine group, n = 75	Placebo group, n = 75
Male/female	50/25	45/30
Age (yr)	51.7 ± 9.6	53.2 ± 9.2
Cirrhosis etiology
Alcohol	5
Post-hepatitis B	20	22
Post-hepatitis C	38	38
Cryptogenetic	10	10
Child–Pugh class
A	30	31
B	34	34
C	11	10
Prothrombin time (%)	62.8 ± 6.9	63.1 ± 6.8
Serum albumin level (g/dL)	2.9 ± 0.7	2.8 ± 0.9
Serum bilirubin level (mg/dL)	3.1 ± 1.2	3.2 ± 1.4
Serum alanine	119 ± 74	116 ± 77
aminotransferase level (IU/L)
Blood urea nitrogen (mg/dL)	40 ± 9	39 ± 11
Serum creatinine level (mg/dL)	0.88 ± 0.21	0.82 ± 0.30
Natriemia (mEq/L)	136 ± 3.4	138 ± 4.7
Kaliemia (mEq/L)	4.1 ± 1.2	4.2 ± 0.9