Correlation of Serum Magnesium Level in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patient with Microalbuminuria

Abstract

Diabetic nephropathy is the leading cause of end stage renal disease world wide. Approximately one third of patients with type 2 diabetes have hypomagnesemia, mainly caused by enhanced renal excretion. Magnesium deficit in the diet would induce insulin resistance in humans. If it is chronic, this may lead to macro-vascular and micro-vascular complications of diabetes. This study was designed to know the relationship of serum magnesium level in type 2 diabetic patients with microalbuminuria. This study was conducted at the Department of Laboratory Medicine in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. In this study, serum magnesium level and urine microalbumin level of 60 type 2 diabetic patients were measured. Both serum magnesium and urine microalbumin levels were measured by biochemical auto analyzer (Siemens Dimension RL Max). The mean serum magnesium level is lower in type 2 diabetes mellitus patient. There was a negative correlation between serum magnesium level and urinary microalbumin in hypomagnesemia diabetic patients. Identifying and treating hypomagnesemia can delay end stage renal disease in diabetic patient and reduce the clinical and economic burden of diabetic complications in future. The potential benefits of supplementing magnesium in type 2 diabetic patients with hypomagnesemia need to be evaluated further.