Hypomagnesemia as a Predictor of Cardiovascular Morbidity in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis

Abstract

Background: Dialysis patients may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of magnesium deficiency, yet scant if any attention is being given to this cation in most dialysis centers, which should be rectified. Objective: To find whether hypomagnesaemia represent an independent risk factor for increased cardiovascular morbidity in hemodialysis patient (HD) either with or without residual renal function (RRF). Patients and methods: 60 prevalent hemodialysis patients were included and subdivided into 15 each; group 1a with normal serum magnesium and residual renal function, group 1b with low serum magnesium and residual renal function, group 2a with normal serum magnesium and no residual renal function and group 2b with low serum magnesium and no residual renal function. Patients were subjected to history taking, clinical examination, lab. tests, echo and ECG. Results: Among 60 hemodialysis patients divided into 30 with RRF and 30 without, hypomagnesemia was found in 30% of whole patients. HD patients with RRF had lower mean serum magnesium level than those without. There was no statistical significant difference between the 2 groups regarding cardiovascular morbidities including diastolic dysfunction, pulmonary hypertension, and others, suggesting that RRF has no effect on cardiovascular morbidities in HD patients. There was no correlation between hypomagnesemia and diastolic dysfunction or pulmonary hypertension or hypertensive heart and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) or arrhythmias but we found significant correlation between hypomagnesemia and ischemic heart disease. Conclusion: There is a close relationship between hypomagnesemia and risk factors for cardiovascular disease morbidity in hemodialysis patients.`