Differences in Serum Ionized and Total Magnesium Values During Chronic Renal Failure Between Nondiabetic and Diabetic Patients
A cross-sectional study
- Katy Dewitte, PHARM1,
- Annemieke Dhondt, MD2,
- Mimi Giri, MD3,
- Dietmar Stöckl, PHD1,
- Raoul Rottiers, MD3,
- Norbert Lameire, MD2 and
- Linda M. Thienpont, PHD1
- 1Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Laboratory for Analytical Chemistry, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- 2Renal Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- 3Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- Address correspondence and reprint requests to Linda Thienpont, PhD, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Laboratory for Analytical Chemistry, Ghent University, Harelbekestraat 72, Ghent 9000, Belgium. E-mail: linda.thienpont{at}ugent.be
Magnesium (Mg) is known to play a fundamental role in carbohydrate metabolism by influencing glucose catabolism and insulin sensitivity (1–2) and may be associated with the development of diabetes complications (3). However, to the best of our knowledge, there is currently no study that has evaluated the value of either serum total Mg (t-Mg) or ionized Mg (i-Mg) in diabetic patients with chronic renal failure (CRF). This is rather unexpected considering the dramatic increase in the prevalence of diabetic nephropathy, which represents one of the most serious chronic complications among patients with diabetes (4).
Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate serum i- and t-Mg during CRF (as measured by creatinine clearance [CCr]) in diabetic patients and to compare them with values found in nondiabetic patients.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
Subjects were 55 ambulatory nondiabetic patients from the renal division of the Ghent University Hospital and 73 ambulatory diabetic patients from the renal and endocrinological divisions of the same hospital, both with varying degrees of renal failure. Patients treated with diuretics, NaHCO3, or polystyrene sulfonate were excluded. Written informed consents were obtained from the patients in accordance to the instructions of the ethics committee of the Ghent University Hospital.
Serum sample preparation
Blood for determination of Mg was sampled into plain evacuated glass tubes with glycerine caps (Venoject VT-100SU; Terumo Europe, Leuven, Belgium), while Vacutainer tubes (Becton Dickinson, Erembodegem, …
