Treatment with L-Citrulline in patients with post-polio syndrome: A single center, randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial.

This single-centered, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study reports the results of L-Citrulline treatment for 24 weeks in patients with post-polio syndrome (PPS). Twenty-nine patients were randomized and assigned into receiving a treatment of 15 g L-Citrulline or placebo. The primary endpoint was the change of the 6 min walking distance test. Secondary endpoints included motor function measure, quantitative muscle strength, quantitative MRI and self-reported impairment questionnaires. Patients receiving L-Citrulline walked 17.5 longer in the 6 min walking distance test when compared to placebo group, however not statistically significant (95% CI = -14.69; 49.68, p = 0.298). None of the secondary endpoints showed a statistically significant change in the L-Citrulline group when compared to placebo group. The motor function measure showed a change of -0.78 (95% CI= [-3.39; 1.83] p = 0.563). Muscle degeneration of leg muscles assessed with quantitative MRI indicated no significant change (estimate= -0.01, 95% CI =-0.13; 0.11, p = 0.869). L-Citrulline was safe and well tolerated. In conclusion, administration of 15 g L-Citrulline daily for 24 weeks to patients with PPS showed no beneficial treatment effect in timed muscle function.

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Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Declaration of Competing Interest DF is supported by the Thomi-Hopf-Foundation; the Neuromuscular Research Association Basel; the University of Basel Children's Hospital and the Department of Neurology, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland. He is the principle investigator for studies on spinal muscular atrophy sponsored by Hofmann-La Roche Ltd. The remaining authors declare that they have no competing interests.