title: Urinary Magnesium, Calcium, and Phosphorus to Creatinine Ratios of Healthy Elementary School Lebanese Children.
abstract: Urinary magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), and phosphorus (P) excretions are known to vary greatly between populations due to dietary habits, physical activity, mineral content of water, climate, genetics, and race. Thus, it is essential to determine the normal values in each population in order to assess the status as well as to diagnose any possible abnormality of metabolisms especially hypercalciuria. A study was conducted to determine urinary Mg/creatinine (Cr), Ca/Cr, and P/Cr ratios of healthy Lebanese elementary schoolchildren. Using a multi-stage cluster sampling at district, school, and class levels, a sample of 1403 children (781 boys and 622 girls), from 26 different schools, was selected. Non-fasting morning urine samples and anthropometric data were collected and analyzed. The mean Mg/Cr, Ca/Cr, and P/Cr ratios were 0.122 ± 0.075 mg/mg (0.568 ± 0.348 mM/mM), 0.084 ± 0.101 mg/mg (0.237 ± 0.286 mM/mM), and 0.692 ± 0.417 mg/mg (2.527 ± 1.524 mM/mM), respectively, with no significant difference between boys and girls (P = 0.706, 0.161, and 0.604; respectively). The 95th percentile of Mg/Cr, Ca/Cr, and P/Cr ratios fluctuated with age, showing a sharp decrease in Ca/Cr and P/Cr at the age of 10. The mean Mg/Cr, Ca/Cr, and P/Cr ratios were comparable to those of similar age groups in other populations. The 95th percentiles of Mg/Cr, Ca/Cr, and P/Cr ratios were 0.26 mg/mg (1.23 mM/mM), 0.27 mg/mg (0.76 mM/mM), and 1.48 mg/mg (5.40 mM/mM), respectively. These values can be used as cutoffs to detect abnormalities in these three minerals' metabolisms among healthy Lebanese children.
authors: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 11-0236, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors: Carla
authors: C
authors: El Mallah
authors: Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors: Hala
authors: H
authors: Ghattas
authors: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 11-0236, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors: Dareen
authors: D
authors: Shatila
authors: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 11-0236, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors: Sirine
authors: S
authors: Francis
authors: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 11-0236, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors: Karina
authors: K
authors: Merhi
authors: Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors: Sani
authors: S
authors: Hlais
authors: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 11-0236, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors: Imad
authors: I
authors: Toufeili
authors: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 11-0236, Beirut, Lebanon. oo01@aub.edu.lb.
authors: Omar
authors: O
authors: Obeid
mesh_terms: D002118:Calcium / Q000652:urine*; D002648:Child; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007861:Lebanon; D008274:Magnesium / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D010758:Phosphorus; D003404:Creatinine; D008274:Magnesium; D002118:Calcium
keywords: Ca/Cr ratio; Children; Lebanon; P/Cr ratio; Reference values; Urinary Mg/Cr ratio