Reduced intracellular Mg concentrations in patients with acute asthma.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the intracellular and extracellular Mg concentrations in patients with acute asthma and their correlation with parameters expressing the disease severity.


METHODS
Thirty patients with acute asthma (FEV(1), 56% predicted [SD, 14.5]), 20 patients with stable asthma (FEV(1), 97% predicted [SD, 10]), and 20 healthy subjects (FEV(1), 97% predicted [SD, 8]).


METHODS
Mg concentrations in erythrocytes and plasma were measured four times: at hospital admission, after 2 days, after 5 days, and at hospital discharge. Percentage of predicted FEV(1) and peak expiratory flow rate variability were recorded simultaneously. Similar measurements were carried in all study groups.


RESULTS
Mg concentrations of healthy subjects and patients with stable asthma remained unchanged in both plasma and erythrocytes. Initial Mg content in erythrocytes was significantly lower in patients with acute asthma (1.77 fmmol per cell; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.71 to 1.83) compared to normal subjects (1.94 fmmol per cell; 95% CI, 1.82 to 2.00) and patients with stable asthma (1.92 fmmol per cell; 95% CI, 1.87 to 1.96) [p < 0.0001], and it increased significantly after the resolution of the exacerbation (from 1.77 fmmol per cell [95% CI, 1.71 to 1.83] at hospital admission to 1.90 fmmol per cell [95% CI, 1.83 to 1.98] at hospital discharge; p < 0.0001). No correlation was observed between parameters of disease severity and the initial values of Mg concentrations in erythrocytes and plasma.


CONCLUSIONS
Acute asthma is associated with lower erythrocyte Mg content while plasma levels remain unchanged. This decrease in intracellular Mg content occurs regardless of the severity of the exacerbation and returns to normal values after control has been achieved.
Zervas
Eleftherios
E
Fifth Pneumonology Department Athens Chest Hospital Sotiria, Athens Army General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Papatheodorou
Georgios
G
Psathakis
Kostas
K
Panagou
Panagiotis
P
Georgatou
Niki
N
Loukides
Stelios
S
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000378:metabolism*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D008274:Magnesium