L-Carnitine in the Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Abstract Objective To evaluate the effects of L-carnitine compared with placebo or control on morbidity and mortality in the setting of acute myocardial infarction. Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis of 13 controlled trials (N=3629) was conducted to determine the effects of L-carnitine vs placebo or control on mortality, ventricular arrhythmias (VAs), angina, heart failure, and reinfarction. These trials were identified via searches of the Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, and Excerpta Medica (Embase) databases between May 1, 2012, and August 31, 2012. Results Compared with placebo or control, L-carnitine was associated with a significant 27% reduction in all-cause mortality (odds ratio, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.54-0.99; P =.05; risk ratio [RR], 0.78; 95% CI, 0.60-1.00; P =.05), a highly significant 65% reduction in VAs (RR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.21-0.58; P