Table 4.
Subgroup analyses for the effects of L-Carnitine supplementation on lipid profile.
| Effect size, n | ES (95% CI)1 | P-within2 | I2 (%)3 | P-heterogeneity4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L-Carnitine on TC levels | |||||
| Overall | 12 | −1.05 (−1.71, −0.39) | 0.002 | 87.1 | <0.001 |
| Age(year) | |||||
| ≤50 | 4 | −1.56 (−3.02, −0.09) | 0.037 | 92.3 | <0.001 |
| >50 | 4 | −2.23 (−6.23, 1.77) | 0.275 | 49.7 | 0.113 |
| NR | 4 | −7.25 (−14.19, −0.31) | 0.041 | 91.5 | <0.001 |
| Intervention duration (week) | |||||
| <18 | 3 | −16.48 (−21.72, −11.23) | <0.001 | 0.0 | 0.701 |
| ≥18 | 8 | −0.38 (−0.74, −0.02) | 0.040 | 72.0 | <0.001 |
| NR | 1 | −9.47 (−13.23, −5.70) | <0.001 | – | – |
| Study population | |||||
| T2DM | 2 | −8.02 (−12.99, −3.04) | 0.002 | 0.0 | 0.943 |
| Metabolic disorders | 2 | −9.91 (−14.40, −5.41) | <0.001 | 6.1 | 0.302 |
| CKD | 4 | −0.22 (−0.36, −0.08) | 0.002 | 0.0 | 0.459 |
| NAFLD | 1 | −13.58 (−46.76, 19.60) | 0.423 | – | – |
| Liver disorders | 1 | −0.49 (−0.81, −0.18) | 0.002 | – | – |
| PCOS | 1 | −18.32 (−25.10, −11.55) | <0.001 | – | – |
| NR | 1 | −9.47 (−13.23, −5.70) | <0.001 | – | – |
| Dosage (g/day) | |||||
| ≤ 2 | 8 | −0.37 (−0.73, 0.00) | 0.051 | 72.9 | <0.001 |
| > 2 | 3 | −11.51 (−18.36, −4.66) | <0.001 | 65.4 | 0.056 |
| NR | 1 | −9.47 (−13.23, −5.70) | <0.001 | – | – |
| L-Carnitine on LDL-C levels | |||||
| Overall | 11 | −4.81 (−6.04, −3.59) | <0.001 | 96.8 | <0.001 |
| Age(years) | |||||
| ≤50 | 4 | −8.79 (−19.73, 2.16) | 0.116 | 98.5 | <0.001 |
| >50 | 3 | −3.12 (−7.39, 1.14) | 0.151 | 77.1 | 0.013 |
| NR | 4 | −5.68 (−11.14, −0.22) | 0.042 | 97.1 | <0.001 |
| Intervention duration (week) | |||||
| <18 | 4 | −11.28 (−19.76, −2.81) | 0.009 | 89.9 | <0.001 |
| ≥18 | 6 | −1.83 (−2.71, −0.95) | <0.001 | 94.8 | <0.001 |
| NR | 1 | −6.25 (−9.30, −3.20) | <0.001 | – | – |
| Study population | |||||
| T2DM | 2 | −7.56 (−10.90, −4.23) | <0.001 | 55.2 | 0.135 |
| Metabolic disorders | 2 | −6.26 (−8.68, −3.83) | <0.001 | 0.0 | 0.392 |
| CKD | 3 | −0.34 (−0.58, −0.09) | 0.007 | 45.4 | 0.160 |
| NAFLD | 1 | −14.85 (−45.43, 15.73) | 0.341 | – | – |
| Liver disorders | 1 | −0.20 (−0.57, 0.17) | 0.296 | – | – |
| PCOS | 1 | −18.91 (−21.58, −16.25) | <0.001 | – | – |
| NR | 1 | −6.25 (−9.30, −3.20) | <0.001 | – | – |
| Dosage (g/day) | |||||
| ≤ 2 | 7 | −0.57 (−1.07, −0.07) | 0.025 | 79.1 | <0.001 |
| > 2 | 3 | −11.08 (−18.73, −3.43) | 0.005 | 95.6 | <0.001 |
| NR | 1 | −6.25 (−9.30, −3.20) | <0.001 | – | |
| L-Carnitine on HDL-C levels | |||||
| Overall | 11 | 0.66 (0.20, 1.12) | 0.005 | 72.2 | <0.001 |
| Age (years) | |||||
| ≤50 | 4 | 1.18 (−0.38, 2.75) | 0.139 | 78.2 | 0.003 |
| >50 | 4 | 0.12 (−0.25, 0.49) | 0.511 | 5.2 | 0.367 |
| NR | 3 | 0.89 (0.52, 1.25) | <0.001 | 0.0 | 0.546 |
| Intervention duration (week) | |||||
| <18 | 5 | 1.19 (0.21, 2.17) | 0.017 | 26.9 | 0.242 |
| ≥18 | 5 | 0.23 (−0.18, 0.65) | 0.272 | 57.6 | 0.051 |
| NR | 1 | 1.39 (0.21, 2.57) | 0.021 | – | – |
| Study population | |||||
| T2DM | 2 | 0.36 (−1.91, 2.63) | 0.754 | 38.6 | 0.202 |
| Metabolic disorders | 3 | 1.04 (0.51, 1.57) | <0.001 | 18.3 | 0.294 |
| CKD | 2 | 0.02 (−0.35, 0.40) | 0.907 | 0.0 | 0.541 |
| NAFLD | 1 | 1.36 (−0.96, 3.68) | 0.251 | – | – |
| Liver disorders | 1 | 0.08 (−0.02, 0.17) | 0.099 | – | – |
| PCOS | 1 | 10.27 (1.67, 18.88) | 0.019 | – | – |
| NR | 1 | 1.39 (0.21,2.57) | 0.021 | – | – |
| Dosage (g/day) | |||||
| ≤ 2 | 7 | 0.54 (0.09, 1.00) | 0.018 | 75.7 | <0.001 |
| > 2 | 3 | 2.00 (−1.87, 5.87) | 0.310 | 70.4 | <0.001 |
| NR | 1 | 1.39 (0.21, 2.57) | 0.021 | – | – |
| L-Carnitine on TG levels | |||||
| Overall | 12 | −2.51 (−3.62, −1.39) | <0.001 | 92.8 | <0.001 |
| Age (years) | |||||
| ≤50 | 4 | −4.25 (−6.48, −2.03) | <0.001 | 97.7 | <0.001 |
| >50 | 5 | −5.59 (−14.45, 3.27) | 0.216 | 61.5 | 0.034 |
| NR | 3 | −7.69(−12.23, −3.15) | <0.001 | 0.0 | 0.388 |
| Intervention duration (week) | |||||
| <18 | 5 | −13.22 (−18.12, −8.32) | <0.001 | 21.5 | 0.278 |
| ≥18 | 6 | −0.15 (−0.42, 0.12) | 0.277 | 46.0 | 0.099 |
| NR | 1 | −10.35 (−16.43, −4.27) | <0.001 | – | – |
| Study population | |||||
| T2DM | 2 | −0.05 (−7.45, 7.36) | 0.990 | 0.0 | 0.484 |
| Metabolic disorders | 3 | −9.00 (−14.23, −3.76) | <0.001 | 0.0 | 0.473 |
| CKD | 3 | −0.09 (−0.29, 0.12) | 0.421 | 0.0 | 0.850 |
| NAFLD | 1 | −14.51 (−17.06, −11.97) | <0.001 | – | – |
| Liver disorders | 1 | −22.13 (−38.92, −5.34) | 0.010 | – | – |
| PCOS | 1 | −0.23 (−0.41, −0.05) | 0.012 | – | – |
| NR | 1 | −10.35 (−16.43, −4.27) | <0.001 | – | – |
| Dosage (g/day) | |||||
| ≤ 2 | 8 | −0.19 (−0.61, 0.23) | 0.371 | 65.7 | 0.005 |
| > 2 | 3 | −5.64 (−17.40, 6.12) | 0.347 | 85.3 | <0.001 |
| NR | 1 | −10.35 (−16.43, −4.27) | <0.001 | – | – |
ES, effect size; CI, confidence interval; 1Obtained from the Random-effects model, 2Refers to the mean (95% CI), 3Inconsistency, percentage of variation across studies due to heterogeneity, 4Obtained from the Q-test, NR, Not reported; T2DM, Type 2 diabetes mellitus; MetS, Metabolic syndrome, CKD, Chronic kidney disease; NAFLD, Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; PCOS, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.