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

• L-Citrulline treatment of 24 weeks in patients with post-polio syndrome are reported. • No beneficial effect of L -Citrulline on timed muscle function was revealed. • L-Citrulline did not show a beneficial effect on motor function or disease progression. 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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