Intracellular and extracellular, ionized and total magnesium in pre-eclampsia and uncomplicated pregnancy.
Magnesium (Mg) and calcium (CA) concentrations in women with pre-eclampsia, women with an uncomplicated pregnancy and non-pregnant women were compared. Ionized serum magnesium and calcium concentrations and intracellular magnesium concentrations were measured in 15 pregnant women with severe pre-eclampsia, 34 uncomplicated pregnant women early, at midterm and preterm in their pregnancy and 24 non-pregnant women. The ionized calcium concentration did not chance during normal pregnancy or during pre-eclampsia relative to non-pregnant women. In contrast, elevated total and ionized magnesium serum concentrations were found in women with severe pre-eclampsia (total Mg = 0.85+/-0.11 mM, ionized Mg = 0.61+/-0.06 mM) relative to uncomplicated pregnant women (total Mg = 0.72+/-0.06 mM, ionized Mg = 0.53+/-0.03 mM). Total magnesium in pre-eclamptic women were similar to non-pregnant women. Intracellular ionized and total magnesium concentrations in mononuclear blood cells and erythrocytes were similar in pre-eclamptic women and women with uncomplicated pregnancy. Serum magnesium concentrations are elevated in severe pre-eclamptic women relative to women with uncomplicated pregnancy and are related to birth weight and gestational age at delivery. There may be a causal relationship since magnesium is involved in blood pressure regulation through an intracellular inhibition of NO synthase in endothelial cells.
Sanders
R
R
Afdeling Klinische Chemie, Academisch Medisch Centrum, Universiteit van Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Konijnenberg
A
A
Huijgen
H J
HJ
Wolf
H
H
Boer
K
K
Sanders
G T
GT
D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007477:Ions; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*
D007477:Ions; D008274:Magnesium; D002118:Calcium