title: Low serum magnesium levels and diabetic foot ulcers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Magnesium plays an important role in glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between serum magnesium levels and diabetic foot ulcers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 147 subjects were included in this study. The participants were divided into three groups, including a study group of 49 patients with diabetes and foot ulcers, a control group of patients with diabetes without foot ulcers and a control group of 49 healthy subjects. Measurements and comparisons were made of the participants' magnesium levels, HBA1C percentages, serum fasting glucose levels, creatinine levels and serum lipid levels for all groups. MedCalc version 12.0 (MedCalc, Turkey) was used for the statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The groups were similar in terms of age and sex (p=0.116 and 0.897, respectively). The magnesium levels of the patients with diabetes and foot ulcers were lower than those in the patients with diabetes without foot ulcers and the healthy subjects (p<0.001). There was a strong relationship between the serum magnesium levels and the incidence of diabetic foot ulcers (OR 5.9, Cl 95% 2.7-12.6, p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A low serum magnesium level is associated with diabetic foot ulcers. Therefore, the magnesium levels should be controlled in patients with diabetes (with or without foot ulcers) and magnesium supplementation can be a complimentary treatment in such cases.
authors.affiliation: Şakir Özgür Keşkek, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Numune Education and Research Hospital, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sakir Ozgür
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Keşkek
authors.affiliation: Sinan Kırım, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Numune Education and Research Hospital, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sinan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kırım
authors.affiliation: Adil Karaca, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Numune Education and Research Hospital, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Adil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karaca
authors.affiliation: Tayyibe Saler, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Numune Education and Research Hospital, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tayyibe
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saler
keywords: Diabetic foot ulcer; Magnesium; Patients with diabetes