Serum Magnesium Level Impact on the Outcome of Patients Admitted to the Intensive Care Unit

Background: Magnesium deficiency is a common, yet under-diagnosed problem in the intensive Care Unit (ICU). Our aim was to determine the prevalence of abnormalities in serum magnesium concentrations in critically ill patients upon admission to the ICU. The association of serum magnesium level with prognosis was also studied. Materials and Methods: This historical cohort study was conducted in the medical ICU of Hazrat-e-Rasool Hospital and 273 critically ill patients were enrolled in this study during a one-year period. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed to identify significant independent risk factors of mortality in the ICU. Results: The mortality rate was 53.8% in the understudy subjects. One-hundred forty-seven subjects (53.8%) had normal serum magnesium levels, whereas, 126 subjects (46.2%) had abnormal values (hyperor hypomagnesemia). Patients with lower total serum magnesium level had longer length of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay. The mortality rate was higher in patients who had abnormal magnesium levels. Age, serum Mg and mechanical ventilation were three risk factors that independently predicted probability of mortality in the ICU patients. Conclusion: Monitoring of serum magnesium levels may have prognostic, and perhaps therapeutic, implications and physicians should be alert to the high incidence of magnesium deficiency in critically ill patients. (Tanaffos2010; 9(4): 28-33)