Abstract
Abnormalities in serum magnesium levels are known to cause potentially life-threatening problems in critically ill patients. Such abnormalities have also been shown to occur with high frequency in critically ill adults. This study was undertaken to ascertain the prevalence and significance of magnesium disturbances in critically ill pediatric patients.
Methods. Ninety serum magnesium levels were obtained in critically ill pediatric patients upon admission to our intensive care unit. Also noted were measures of renal and hepatic function, serum electrolytes, and prospective evaluation of outcome parameters.
Results. The mean magnesium level on admission for our patient population was 2.022 mg/dl (+/- 0.874). More importantly, 35 (38.9%) of our patients had levels outside the normal range for our laboratory, with 23 (25.5%) hypo- and 12 (13.3%) hypermagnesamic. The mortality rates were 8.7%, 9.1%, and 41.7% in the hypo-, normo-, and hypermagnesemic patients respectively. The mortality association for the hypermagnesemic patients was significant at p<.01.
Conclusions. We conclude that 1) disturbances in magnesium homeostasis occur wit a high and previously unrecognized high frequency, and 2) hypermagnesemia is associated with a significantly greater mortality than hyper- or normomagnesemia.
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Broner, C., Stidham, G. & Westenkirchner, D. SERUM MAGNESIUM LEVELS IN CRITICALLY ILL PEDIATRIC PATIENTS. Pediatr Res 21 (Suppl 4), 198 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-00191
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-00191