Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29112178›Full record

SynthesisNutrients2017

Efficacy and Effectiveness of Carnitine Supplementation for Cancer-Related Fatigue: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis.

Wolfgang Marx, Laisa Teleni, Rachelle S Opie, Jaimon Kelly, Skye Marshall, Catherine Itsiopoulos, Elizabeth Isenring

Open access · goldAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Nutrients, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
15citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.7field-weighted citation impact, top 10% 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

15 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 35 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Management of Fatigue in Adult Survivors of Cancer: ASCO-Society for Integrative Oncology Guideline Update.Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology · 2024
    Guideline
  2. Trial
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Review
  9. Article
  10. Can l-carnitine reduce post-COVID-19 fatigue?Annals of medicine and surgery (2012) · 2022
    Review
  11. Review
  12. Review
  13. Review
  14. Review
  15. 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

7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Wolfgang MarxSchool of Allied Health, College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia. w.marx@latrobe.edu.au.
Laisa TeleniFaculty of Health Sciences & Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, QLD 4226, Australia. laisa.teleni@student.bond.edu.au.
Rachelle S OpieSchool of Allied Health, College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia. R.Opie@latrobe.edu.au.
Jaimon KellyFaculty of Health Sciences & Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, QLD 4226, Australia. jkelly@bond.edu.au.
Skye MarshallFaculty of Health Sciences & Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, QLD 4226, Australia. smarshal@bond.edu.au.ORCID 0000-0001-8953-5068
Catherine ItsiopoulosSchool of Allied Health, College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia. C.Itsiopoulos@latrobe.edu.au.
Elizabeth IsenringFaculty of Health Sciences & Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, QLD 4226, Australia. lisenrin@bond.edu.au.
Bond University · AULa Trobe University · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCarnitine deficiency has been implicated as a potential pathway for cancer-related fatigue that could be treated with carnitine supplementation. The aim of this systematic literature review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the literature regarding the use of supplemental carnitine as a treatment for cancer-related fatigue.

methodsUsing the PRISMA guidelines, an electronic search of the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL and reference lists was conducted. Data were extracted and independently assessed for quality using the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics evidence analysis by two reviewers. In studies with positive quality ratings, a meta-analysis was performed using the random-effects model on Carnitine and cancer-related fatigue.

resultsTwelve studies were included for review with eight reporting improvement in measures of fatigue, while four reported no benefit. However, many studies were non-randomized, open-label and/or used inappropriate dose or comparators. Meta-analysis was performed in three studies with sufficient data. Carnitine did not significantly reduce cancer-related fatigue with a standardized mean difference (SMD) of 0.06 points ((95% CI -0.09, 0.21);

conclusionResults from studies with lower risk of bias do not support the use of carnitine supplementation for cancer-related fatigue.

Indexed as

CarnitineDietary SupplementsFatigueHumansNeoplasmsCarnitinecancercarnitinedietary supplementfatiguesystematic review

Identifiers

PMID29112178
PMCPMC5707696
OpenAlexW2767730478

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.