title: Correlation between serum magnesium and blood cyclosporine A concentrations in renal transplant recipients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Low total serum magnesium concentration has been reported in renal transplant recipients on cyclosporine therapy, and this is a risk factor for hypertension and cardiac death. No study is yet available from the Indian subcontinent on the relationship between total serum magnesium and cyclosporine A concentration.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood cyclosporine A and total serum magnesium concentrations were estimated in 31 post renal transplant patients. Sixteen chronic renal failure patients who had not yet received a transplant served as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean total serum magnesium in post-transplant patients was 0.64+/-0.11 mmol/L (n = 31), which was significantly lower (P <0.001) than in the controls (1.0+/-0.16 mmol/L). An inverse correlation was found between total serum magnesium and blood cyclosporine A concentration (r = -0.532). Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were also higher in the cyclosporine-treated patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that serum magnesium should be monitored regularly in patients receiving cyclosporine A.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Batra Hospital and Medical Research Centre, New Delhi, India. vthakur57@hotmail.com
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Thakur
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: I K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Dhawan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D008274:Magnesium