Carnitine deficiency: a possible cause of gastrointestinal dysmotility.

An infant with delayed development and peripheral myopathy, nourished on a soy-based liquid diet deficient in carnitine, had gastrointestinal dysmotility manifested by postprandial vomiting, oral drooling, delayed gastric emptying and infrequent bowel movements. Oesophageal manometry showed a reduced lower oesophageal sphincter pressure for age with abnormal distal motility. Serum carnitine concentration was 9.9 mumol l-1. After dietary supplementation of carnitine the gastrointestinal symptoms resolved, oesophageal manometry returned to normal, and serum carnitine increased to 37.2 mumol l-1. Dietary carnitine deficiency in infancy may be a cause of smooth muscle dysmotility of the gastrointestinal tract.