title: Magnesium attenuates pulmonary hypertension due to hypoxia and group B streptococci.
abstract: We investigated whether hypermagnesemia alleviates hypoxic or group B streptococcal (GBS) pulmonary hypertension (PH). Hypoxic PH was induced and maintained in 14 lambs by continuous ventilation with 12% oxygen. GBS PH was induced and maintained in 16 lambs by the continuous infusion of 5-10 x 10(8) colony-forming units.kg-1.h-1 of GBS. After the onset of PH, lambs were randomized to receive either magnesium sulfate (MgSO4, intermittent boluses of 0.38 mmol/kg, with a continuous infusion of 0.15 mmol.kg-1.h-1) or a similar volume of normal saline. Hypermagnesemia lowered pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) and delayed the fall in systemic arterial pressure and stroke volume index seen in the control animals (each P < 0.05). At a serum magnesium concentration ([Mg]) of 2.75 +/- 0.25 mmol/l, PAP was 27 +/- 3 compared with 40 +/- 4 Torr in the control animals ([Mg] = 0.87 +/- 0.06 mmol/l; P < 0.05). In the GBS PH trial, hypermagnesemia prevented the continued increase in PAP seen in the control animals. At [Mg] = 2.15 +/- 0.07 mmol/l, PAP fell 2 +/- 1 Torr from prerandomization values, whereas it rose 4 +/- 2 Torr in the control animals ([Mg] = 0.59 +/- 0.07 mmol/l; P < 0.05). However, during the same time the systemic arterial pressure fell further in the magnesium-treated animals (-19 +/- 1 vs. -2 +/- 5 Torr). MgSO4 attenuates PH in both models but may cause systemic hypotension in sepsis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Medical Center at Knoxville 37920.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Burnette
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Geiser
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Janjindamai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000150:complications*; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012756:Sheep; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000150:complications*; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae
chemical_list: D008274:Magnesium