Magnesium serum and urine concentration in patients with acute and chronic pulmonary disease

Abstract

In this study we determined magnesium concentration in serum and in 24-hour urine, at the start (To) and at the end of treatment (T1), in 56 patients with acute pulmonary disease (B1) and in 58 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - COPD (B2). In group B1 there was disbalance of Mg in serum in 14-25% patients at the start of treatment (To) which decreased significantly at the end of treatment (T1) and persisted in 4-7.1% patients (p < 0.05). In group B2 distribution of normal, decreased and increased values of Mg in serum was similar in patients in period To and T1 (p > 0.05). In group B1, 9 (16.1%) patients had hypomagnesemia at the start of treatment (To), which was accompanied by increased concentration of Mg in 24-hour urine of only 4 (7.2%) patients. There is a possibility that there was extrarenal elimination of Mg in patients with acute pulmonary disease or there was some kind of transcellular distribution. In group B2 in period To, there was proportional ratio between hypomagnesemia (12-20.7% patients) and increased concentration of Mg in 24-hour urine (20 -34.5% patients). This could be because of renal loss. Simultaneous determination and follow up of magnesium in serum and in 24-hour urine can give us reliable information about homeostasis of this electrolyte in acute and chronic pulmonary diseases.