title: Hypomagnesemia as a possible explanation behind episodes of severe pain in cancer patients receiving palliative care.
abstract: Within an oncology setting, certain chemotherapy drugs, such as cisplatin, may lead to magnesium loss causing nephropathy. Neurological and cardiovascular symptoms caused by hypomagnesaemia are well known. The relationship between serious hypomagnesemia and severe pain is not well documented but nevertheless, when faced with unexplained episodes of pain which do not respond to powerful analgesics, it is important to review blood magnesium levels. We present two cases of opioid-refractory pain attacks. Patients received drugs which have been linked to hypomagnesemia. In both cases, endovenous magnesium replacement led to a drastic improvement in pain management.
authors.affiliation: Palliative Medicine Unit, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Avda. Pío XII, 36, 31008, Pamplona, Spain. jmlopez@unav.es
authors.forename: José Mario
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: López-Saca
authors.forename: José Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: López-Picazo
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Larumbe
authors.forename: Juli
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Urdíroz
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Centeno
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects*; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008275:Magnesium Deficiency / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D010166:Palliative Care
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents