Table 2.
Results of Multivariate Regression Analysis to Identify Factors That Influenced the Increase In Muscle Mass Induced By Treatment With L‐Carnitine
| Variables | n | Univariate Analysis | Multivariate Analysis | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OR | (95% CI) | P Value | AOR | (95% CI) | P Value | ||
| Sex | |||||||
| Male | 32 | 1 | Reference | ‐ | |||
| Female | 20 | 1.929 | (0.620‐6.000) | 0.254 | ‐ | ||
| Age | |||||||
| under 65 years | 20 | 1 | Reference | ‐ | |||
| 66‐75 years | 16 | 1.286 | (0.343‐4.816) | 0.709 | ‐ | ||
| over 76 years | 16 | 0.778 | (0.203‐2.913) | 0.709 | ‐ | ||
| BMI | |||||||
| <18.5 kg/m2 | 5 | 0.706 | (0.105‐4.758) | 0.549 | ‐ | ||
| 18.5‐24.9 kg/m2 | 35 | 1 | Reference | ‐ | |||
| ≥25 kg/m2 | 12 | 1.482 | (0.394‐5.579) | 0.559 | ‐ | ||
| Etiology of cirrhosis | |||||||
| HBV | 8 | 1 | Reference | ‐ | |||
| HCV | 23 | 2.593 | (0.494‐13.612) | 0.232 | ‐ | ||
| Alcohol | 11 | 1.389 | (0.216‐8.916) | 0.551 | ‐ | ||
| Others | 10 | 1.111 | (0.164‐7.506) | 0.648 | ‐ | ||
| Ascites | |||||||
| Absence | 30 | 1 | Reference | ‐ | |||
| Presence | 22 | 1 | (0.333‐3.005) | 1.000 | ‐ | ||
| Child‐Pugh class | |||||||
| A | 14 | 1 | Reference | ‐ | |||
| B | 29 | 0.609 | (0.168‐2.207) | 0.449 | ‐ | ||
| C | 9 | 0.938 | (0.173‐5.070) | 0.637 | ‐ | ||
| HCC | |||||||
| Absence | 24 | 1 | Reference | ‐ | |||
| Presence | 28 | 1 | (0.336‐2.976) | 1.000 | ‐ | ||
| Sarcopenia | |||||||
| Absence | 33 | 1 | Reference | ‐ | |||
| Presence | 19 | 1.181 | (0.381‐3.655) | 0.773 | ‐ | ||
| Dose of L‐carnitine | |||||||
| <1,274 mg/day* | 26 | 1 | Reference | 1 | Reference | ||
| ≥1,274 mg/day | 26 | 3.568 | (1.138‐11.185) | 0.027 | 4.812 | (1.233‐18.784) | 0.024 |
| Duration of L‐carnitine treatment | |||||||
| <348 days* | 26 | 1 | Reference | ‐ | |||
| ≥348 days | 26 | 1.86 | (0.619‐5.588) | 0.267 | ‐ | ||
| Platelet count | |||||||
| <100,000/μL | 27 | 1 | Reference | ‐ | |||
| ≥100,000/μL | 25 | 1.591 | (0.532‐4.757) | 0.405 | ‐ | ||
| Total bilirubin | |||||||
| <1.1 mg/dL | 26 | 1 | Reference | ‐ | |||
| ≥1.1 mg/dL | 26 | 0.735 | (0.247‐2.186) | 0.579 | ‐ | ||
| Albumin | |||||||
| <3.0 g/dL | 14 | 1 | Reference | ‐ | |||
| 3.0‐3.4 g/dL | 18 | 2.25 | (0.536‐9.450) | 0.265 | ‐ | ||
| ≥3.5 g/dL | 20 | 2.2 | (0.540‐8.957) | 0.268 | ‐ | ||
| Ammonia† | |||||||
| <80 μg/dL | 27 | 1 | Reference | 1 | Reference | ||
| ≥80 μg/dL | 21 | 2.763 | (0.851‐8.965) | 0.087 | 3.133 | (0.786‐12.488) | 0.106 |
| HbA1c‡ | |||||||
| <6.3 % | 36 | 1 | Reference | ‐ | |||
| ≥6.3 % | 11 | 0.931 | (0.240‐3.612) | 0.918 | ‐ | ||
| a‐fetoprotein† | |||||||
| <100 ng/mL | 35 | 1 | Reference | ‐ | |||
| ≥100 ng/mL | 13 | 1.694 | (0.462‐6.211) | 0.424 | ‐ | ||
*median; †data of 4 patients were missing; ‡data of 5 patients were missing.
Abbreviations: AOR, adjusted odds ratio; HbA1c, hemoglobin A1c.