title: Prevalence and incidence of serum magnesium abnormalities in hospitalized cats.
abstract: Total serum magnesium concentration ([Mg2+]s) was prospectively determined for 57 cats admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Cornell University Hospital for Animals. Data were collected and analyzed to determine the following: prevalence and incidence of [Mg2+] abnormalities, medical disorders associated with altered [Mg2+]s, association of altered [Mg2+]s with other electrolyte abnormalities, length of hospitalization for cats with abnormalities of [Mg2+]s versus those with normal [Mg2+]s, and survival of cats with abnormal [Mg2+)s versus those with normal [Mg2+]s. The point prevalence of magnesium abnormalities was 26%, the period prevalence was 46%, and the cumulative incidence was 23%. Hypermagnesemia was associated with abnormalities of serum potassium (P = .04) and phosphate (P = .01) concentrations. Abnormalities of [Mg2+]s were not associated with abnormal serum concentrations of Na+, Ca2+, or Cl-. On admission. hypomagnesemia was detected in cats with gastrointestinal, endocrine, and other disorders; hypermagnesemia was detected only in cats with renal disease, obstructive uropathy, or neoplastic disease. The median hospital stay for cats that developed abnormal [Mg2+]s after admission was longer than for cats that remained normomagnesemic (5 versus 4 days, respectively; P = .03). Despite the longer hospital stay, the survival of these cats was lower than that of normomagnesemic cats (54 versus 77%; P = .05). When all cats were considered, the survival of cats with abnormal [Mg2+]s also was decreased compared with normomagnesemic cats (62 versus 81%; P = .05). We conclude that abnormalities of [Mg2+]s may affect morbidity and mortality of affected cats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Toll
authors.forename: Hollis
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Erb
authors.forename: Nichole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Birnbaum
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schermerhorn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D002415:Cats; D004700:Endocrine System Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary; D006760:Hospitalization; D015994:Incidence; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary; D008274:Magnesium / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D009017:Morbidity; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D008274:Magnesium