Tanizaki R, Miyamatsu Y. Nocturnal Leg Cramping Caused by Carnitine Deficiency Due to Long-Term Pivalate Antibiotics Administration in a Patient With Chronic Kidney Disease.
Cureus 2023;
15:e48927. [PMID:
38106710 PMCID:
PMC10725522 DOI:
10.7759/cureus.48927]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Carnitine deficiency is a known cause of leg cramps and is sometimes observed in patients taking certain medications such as pivalate-containing antibiotics. A 69-year-old Japanese woman presented with a progression of painful involuntary nocturnal leg cramping. She had been taking cefcapene-pivoxil for six months. Serum-free carnitine (FC) and acylcarnitine levels were decreased. Then, carnitine deficiency due to long-term pivalate-containing antibiotics administration was diagnosed. After initiating oral L-carnitine treatment, her symptoms improved. It should be aware of carnitine deficiency if a patient taking pivalate-containing antibiotics presents with leg cramping.
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