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Magnesium deficiency in critically ill patients
Author(s) -
ARNOLD A.,
TOVEY J.,
MANGAT P.,
PENNY W.,
JACOBS S.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1995.tb04556.x
Subject(s) - magnesium , medicine , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , red blood cell , magnesium deficiency (plants) , intracellular , critically ill , blood cell , endocrinology , biochemistry , in vitro , chemistry , organic chemistry
Summary A study was performed to assess the value of estimation of intracellular magnesium in peripheral blood cells (red and mononuclear blood cells) in critically ill patients as an index of tissue magnesium content. A magnesium loading test was used to diagnose magnesium depletion in 16 critically ill patients. Patients were divided into magnesium depleted and non‐depleted groups according to their response to the loading test. Pre ‐infusion plasma and intracellular (blood cell) magnesium levels were measured. There were no significant differences between the magnesium depleted (mean plasma magnesium 0.81 mmol.l ‐1 , red blood cell magnesium 2.34mmol.l ‐1 , mononuclear blood cell magnesium 25.16mmol.kg ‐1 dry weight) and non‐depleted groups (mean plasma magnesium 0.90mmol.l ‐1 , red blood cell magnesium 2.18mmol.l ‐1 , mononuclear blood cell magnesium 18.1 mmol.kg ‐1 dry weight). We conclude that the diagnosis of magnesium depletion cannot be excluded in the face of normal plasma, red blood cell or mononuclear blood cell concentrations of magnesium.