Open AccessAssociation between Hypomagnesemia, COVID-19, Respiratory Tract and Lung Disease
Author(s) -
Gavino Faa,
Luca Saba,
Daniela Fanni,
Goce Kalcev,
Mauro Giovanni Carta
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
the open respiratory medicine journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.341
H-Index - 19
ISSN - 1874-3064
DOI - 10.2174/1874306402115010043
Subject(s) - medicine , cytokine storm , disease , immunology , diabetes mellitus , hypomagnesemia , cytotoxic t cell , physiology , covid-19 , endocrinology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , magnesium , biology , materials science , metallurgy , biochemistry , in vitro
The complexity of COVID-19 is also related to the multiple molecular pathways triggered by SARS-CoV-2, which is able to cause type I pneumocyte death, trigger intravascular coagulation, interfere with the renin-angiotensin system, dysregulate iron metabolism, ending with the insurgence of a cytokine storm which may lead to death. Old adults with obesity, hypertension, and diabetes are among the high-risk category groups more prone to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Magnesium has been reported to play a major role both in physiology and in pathology, particularly in elderly people, regulating cytotoxic functions of natural killer (NK) cells and CD8+ T lymphocytes. In spite of the absence of controlled trials, the possibility of magnesium supplementation for supportive treatment in patients with COVID-19 should be encouraged. This could be useful in all phases of the COVID-19 disease.