Arduini 2006.

Study characteristics
Methods	Study characteristics Study design: parallel RCT Study duration: not reported Study follow‐up: 24 weeks
Participants	Baseline characteristics Country: UK Setting: not reported Inclusion criteria: stable HD patients with secondary carnitine deficiency Randomised number (intervention/control): 14/15 Dialysis modality: HD Mean age ± SD (years): not reported Sex (M/F): not reported Mean dialysis duration ± SD (years): not reported Exclusion criteria: Hb < 8 g/dL in past 2 months; change in rHuEPO dose in previous 4 weeks; serum ferritin < 200mg/L; URR < 65%; PTH > 60 pmol/L; BP > 160/105 mm Hg; bodyweight > 100 kg; presence of an infection, malignancy, or extrarenal cause of anaemia
Interventions	Intervention group L‐carnitine (IV): 20 mg/kg at each dialysis session for 24 weeks Control group Placebo
Outcomes	Outcomes relevant to this review Anaemia‐related markers: Hb, HCT Intradialytic hypotension
Notes	Funding source: not clearly reported, but the first author is the Director of the Research and Development Department of Iperboreal Pharma Srl
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Study was described as randomised; method of randomisation was not reported
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Insufficient information to permit judgement
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias)	Low risk	Quote: "double‐blind placebo‐controlled" study
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) Muscle symptoms	Low risk	Quote: "double‐blind placebo‐controlled" study
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) Anaemia‐related markers	Low risk	Quote: "double‐blind placebo‐controlled" study
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) Myocardial function	Low risk	Quote: "double‐blind placebo‐controlled" study
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) Muscle symptoms	Low risk	Missing outcome data balanced in numbers across intervention groups Quote: "Two placebo patients withdrew (one underwent transplantation, one due to abdominal pain), and one LC patient receiving a blood transfusion was excluded from the analysis."
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) Anaemia‐related markers	Low risk	Missing outcome data balanced in numbers across intervention groups Quote: "Two placebo patients withdrew (one underwent transplantation, one due to abdominal pain), and one LC patient receiving a blood transfusion was excluded from the analysis."
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) Myocardial function	Low risk	Missing outcome data balanced in numbers across intervention groups Quote: "Two placebo patients withdrew (one underwent transplantation, one due to abdominal pain), and one LC patient receiving a blood transfusion was excluded from the analysis."
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Unclear risk	The study protocol is not available
Other bias	High risk	Funding source: not clearly reported, but the first author is the Director of the Research and Development Department of Iperboreal Pharma Srl