L-Carnitine Administration in Early Sepsis

Sepsis is a severe and overwhelming response to an infection in the body. Over 750,000
patients in the United States develop sepsis every year. As sepsis becomes progressively
more severe, a patient's blood pressure drops to dangerous levels and the body cannot pump
oxygen to the rest of the body, which is necessary for normal cell function. This is called
septic shock. When someone develops septic shock, it is very common for the smallest blood
vessels in the body called the microcirculation to clog, like a highway during rush hour.
Even with the best medical care, more than one in three patients with septic shock will die.

The major goal of this study is to test if intravenous replacement of a naturally occurring
nutrient that is lost by the body during sepsis called L-carnitine can reduce how sick a
patient with sepsis becomes. In our study, some patients will receive L-carnitine and others
will receive saline. We will measure markers determining severity of illness in both groups
and compare them to see if L-carnitine helps patients get better faster. Based on research
already conducted, we believe L-carnitine will improve blood flow in the microcirculation,
delivering more oxygen to cells, and help the body get better. To test if this is true, we
will directly look at the microcirculation under the tongue with a special magnifying camera
that looks at red blood cells, and compare both groups.