Serum Magnesium Levels impacts Critically Ill Patients on Admission in ICU

Many studies found that only hypomagnesemia, but not hypermagnesemia is linked with increased mortality. However, reports of mortality due to magnesium dysregulation in the critical care setting are controversial.

To study this a report in Journal of the Associations of Physcians of India, studied the association between serum magnesium levels in critically ill patients on admission in intensive care unit (ICU) and its correlation with patient's need and duration for ventilator support, duration of ICU stay, incidence of cardiac arrhythmias and mortality

A total 246 critically ill patients admitted in ICU were included. Serum total magnesium level was measured at the time of admission. Primary outcome measure was ICU mortality whereas, secondary outcome measures were patient's need and duration for ventilator support, duration of ICU stay, and incidence of cardiac arrhythmias.

Incidence of ICU mortality was significantly higher in group of patients with hypomagnesemia compared to those with normal magnesium levels. Hypomagnesemia was associated with need and longer duration of ventilator support, longer duration of ICU stay, higher incidence of cardiac arrhythmias compared to patients with normal magnesium levels. Hypomagnesemia was an independent and statistically significant determinant of ICU mortality.

 Therefore, it was concluded that hypomagnesemia was associated with higher mortality rate, longer duration of ventilator support and ICU stay, in critically ill patients.