Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26812488›Full record

ArticleChild's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery2016

A cross-sectional study of carnitine deficiency and fatigue in pediatric cancer patients.

Jin-Shei Lai, Tracy Haertling, Joanna Weinstein, Alfred W Rademaker, Stewart Goldman

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Child's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
3.3field-weighted citation impact, top 8% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 24 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. The predictive trifecta? Fatigue, pain, and anxiety severity forecast the suffering profile of children with cancer.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2022
    Article
  5. Symptoms in Children Receiving Treatment for Cancer-Part I: Fatigue, Sleep Disturbance, and Nausea/Vomiting.Journal of pediatric oncology nursing : official journal of the Association of Pediatric Oncology Nurses
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Jin-Shei LaiDepartment of Medical Social Sciences and Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 633 N St Clair, 19th Floor, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. js-lai@northwestern.edu.
Tracy HaertlingMemorial Hospital of South Bend, 615 N Michigan St, South Bend, IN, 46601, USA.
Joanna WeinsteinAnn & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 225 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
Alfred W RademakerDepartment of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
Stewart GoldmanAnn & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Chicago, 225 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
Northwestern University · USMemorial Hospital of South Bend · US

Funding

Tumor Environment and Metastasis (TEAM) Research ProgramP30CA060553 · NCI · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY AT CHICAGO · PI Daniela E Matei · 1993 to 2026
$153.9M
NCI NIH HHS P30 CA060553
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeCarnitine deficiency has been found in cancer patients and has been associated with fatigue. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of carnitine deficiency in pediatric cancer patients and its relationship with fatigue and other potential contributing factors.

methodsChildren with cancer or Langerhans cell histiocytosis who were receiving treatment or had completed therapy were eligible. Patients completed the Pediatric Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness-Fatigue, the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Multidimensional Fatigue Scale, a numeric fatigue rating, and had carnitine levels obtained. Carnitine deficiency was defined as a total and/or free carnitine level less than normal for age or an acylcarnitine value higher than normal for age.

resultsData from 142 children aged 8-17 were analyzed. Twenty-eight of 142 (19.7 %) had decreased total and 42.8 % (12/28) had decreased free carnitine levels. No patients had elevated acylcarnitine levels or elevated ratios. Patients with versus without carnitine deficiency differed by age (p = 0.043), treatment (p = 0.037), duration since last chemotherapy (p = 0.020), and body mass index (p = 0.010), but not fatigue, when all data were analyzed together. Yet, a negative relationship between fatigue and carnitine levels was found on a subgroup (off-therapy; fatigue worse than the norm).

conclusionNo significant association between fatigue and carnitine level was demonstrated when data from all patients were analyzed together; however, a significant yet unexpected relationship was found for patients who completed therapy and reported elevated fatigue. Given the small sample size, these results should be interpreted with caution. Future studies to explore impact upon excessive carnitine levels are warranted.

Indexed as

AdolescentAntineoplastic AgentsCarnitineChildChromatography, LiquidCross-Sectional StudiesFatigueFemaleHumansMaleNeoplasmsSurveys and QuestionnairesTandem Mass SpectrometryAntineoplastic AgentsCarnitineCancerCarnitineChildrenFatigue

Identifiers

PMID26812488
PMCPMC5872812
OpenAlexW2307162956

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.