Figure 1: Visualization degree of white light (upper row) for the vascular lesions compared with that of blue mode (lower row). (a) Red spot, (b) angioectasia, (c) serpiginous varix, and (d) blood vessels of the small bowel

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is usually followed by hepatic dysfunction. We evaluated the effects of L-carnitine on
post-TACE impaired liver functions. Methods. 53 cirrhotic hepatocellular carcinoma patients at Osaka Medical College were
enrolled in this study and assigned into either L-carnitine group receiving 600mg oral L-carnitine daily or control group. Liver
functions were evaluated at pre-TACE and 1, 4, and 12 weeks after TACE. Results.The L-carnitine group maintained Child-Pugh (CP) score at 1 week after TACE and exhibited significant improvement at 4 weeks after TACE (𝑃 < 0.01). Conversely, the control group reported a significant CP score deterioration at 1 week (𝑃 < 0.05) and 12 weeks after TACE (𝑃 < 0.05). L-carnitine suppressed serum albumin deterioration at 1 week after TACE.There were significant differences between L-carnitine and control groups regarding mean serum albumin changes from baseline to 1 week (𝑃 < 0.05) and 4 weeks after TACE (𝑃 < 0.05). Lcarnitine caused prothrombin time improvement from baseline to 1, 4 (𝑃 < 0.05), and 12 weeks after TACE. Total bilirubin mean changes from baseline to 1 week after TACE exhibited significant differences between L-carnitine and control groups (𝑃 < 0.05).
The hepatoprotective effects of L-carnitine were enhanced by branched chain amino acids combination. Conclusion. L-carnitine maintained and improved liver functions after TACE.