Serum Choline/Carnitine
Blood Tests

DEFINITION

A short yet comprehensive description

External links

Database	Link
"XYZZ":	"test":
"ZXVX":	"URL":

ANALYTICAL METHOD

ANALYTICAL TRICKS AND TIPS

THE BIOLOGICAL CONTEXT

THE NORMAL RANGE

DIAGNOSTIC USE

Issues

Specificity, sensitivity etc.

Diagnostic Algorithms

4 metabolites

• Choline
• Betaine
• Carnitine
• Acetyl-Carnitine

3 calculated ratios

• Choline/Carnitine
• Choline/Betaine
• Acetyl-Carnitine/Carnitine

Choline

Betaine

Carnitine

• Carnitine Hypothyroidism
  • Urinary excretion of carnitine in patients with hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism: augmentation by thyroid hormone. 1977
    In contrast, carnitine excretion was markedly reduced in hypothyroid patients.
  • Muscle carnitine in hypo- and hyperthyroidism. 2005 Weakness is common in both hyper- and hypothyroidism, and skeletal muscle L-carnitine may play a role in this regard, as suggested by studies indicating abnormal levels of carnitine in serum and urine of patients with thyroid dysfunction. Skeletal muscle samples were obtained for carnitine analysis from control subjects, and from hyperthyroid and hypothyroid patients before and after treatment. There was a significant reduction in carnitine, especially the esterified portion, in hyperthyroid individuals, with a return to normal as euthyroid status was regained. In hypothyroid patients, there was a trend for carnitine to be lower than normal and for improvement once euthyroid status was attained. Our data indicate that muscle carnitine levels are affected by both hypo- and hyperthyroidism. A decrease in muscle carnitine in both conditions may contribute to thyroid myopathy.

Acetyl-Carnitine

Acetyl-L-carnitine and Neuroprotection

PROs and CONTROs

Open Questions

Working Hypothesis