Carnitine levels in patients with skeletal myopathy due to anorexia nervosa before and after refeeding

Objective: To assess the role of carnitine in the skeletal myopathy present in anorexia nervosa. Method: Serum levels of free and total carnitine were measured in a group of severely underweight women with anorexia nervosa an d skeletal myopathy before and after an inpatient refeeding program. Result s: Carnitine levels were within the reference range before refeeding and re mained unchanged despite significant weight gain in all the subjects. Concl usion: These findings suggest that carnitine plays no part in the muscle we akness seen in severe anorexia nervosa. (C) 1999 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.