A Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo Controlled Trial L-carnitine and Piracetam in the Treatment of Weakness, Muscle Fatigue and Muscle Pain in the Postpoliomyelitis Syndrome

Exclusion Criteria

• •History of intolerance to L-carnitine or piracetam;
• •Treatment with L-carnitine during the past 3 months;
• •Treatment with piracetam or any other nootropics pyrrolidone derivatives, during the past three months;
• •Anemia (hemoglobin reference range - men 13 to 17 g/dL and women 12 to 15 g/dL);
• •High level of glycated hemoglobin (\> 7.0%);
• •Electrolyte imbalance (hypokalaemia - reference potassium concentration range: 3.5 to 5.6 mmol / L);
• •Renal failure (creatinine reference range: 0.70 to 1.50 mg/dL);
• •Urinary tract infection;
• •Thyroid dysfunction (reference range: free T4: 0.54 to 0.67 mg/dL and TSH reference range: 0.5 to 5.5 μUI/mL) or usual treatment with thyroid hormone supplementation;
• •Cardiomyopathy;
• •Uncontrolled hypertension;
• •Known or suspected autoimmune disease;
• •Confirmed pregnancy, or plans to get pregnant during the trial;
• •Depression or bipolar affective disorders with moderate to severe episodes within the last twelve months;
• •Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus;
• •Treatment with anticoagulant drugs over two weeks (including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), warfarin, phenprocoumon, heparin);
• •Usual cocaine or alcohol use;
• •Any other condition judged by the investigator as a possibility to interfere on the participant's decision to be part of the study or to accomplish investigation procedures.