Relationship between the degree of intracellular magnesium deficiency and the frequency of chest pain in women with variant angina.
OBJECTIVE
This study sought to clarify the relationship between the degree of intracellular magnesium deficiency and the frequency of anginal attacks in women with variant angina.


METHODS
We evaluated the intracellular and extracellular magnesium status of twelve women with variant angina: group A (> or = 4 attacks/week, n = 5) and group B (< 4 attacks/week, n = 7). Magnesium levels were determined in serum, urine, and erythrocytes, and the 24-h magnesium retention rate was calculated by magnesium loading test.


RESULTS
Group A showed a higher 24-h magnesium retention rate (58.2 +/- 9.1% vs. 31.3 +/- 4.4%; p < 0.01) and a lower intracellular concentration of magnesium in erythrocytes than group B (3.1 +/- 1.1 vs. 5.0 +/- 0.8 fg/cell; p < 0.05), demonstrating the presence of magnesium deficiency in group A. The 24-h magnesium retention rate and intracellular concentrations of magnesium in erythrocytes correlated well with the activity of variant angina (r = 0.61, p < 0.01; and r = -0.74, p < 0.01, respectively) for these patients.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that the degree of intracellular magnesium deficiency in women with variant angina is closely related to the frequency of chest pain.
Guo
Hangyuan
H
First Department of Internal Medicine, Fukui Medical University, Fukui, Japan. ghangyuan@hotmail.com
Cheng
Jianfeng
J
Lee
Jong-Dae
JD
Ueda
Takanori
T
Shan
Jiang
J
Wang
Jian'an
J
D000368:Aged; D000788:Angina Pectoris, Variant / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000378:metabolism*; D008275:Magnesium Deficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D013223:Statistics as Topic
D015415:Biomarkers; D008274:Magnesium