Low Serum Magnesium Levels and Its Association with High Blood Pressure in Children.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the association of hypomagnesemia with prehypertension (preHTN) and hypertension in children.


METHODS
A total of 3954 apparently healthy Mexican children were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Exclusion criteria were type 2 diabetes; hepatic, renal, or endocrine disease; impaired fasting glucose; chronic diarrhea; and intake of vitamins or magnesium supplements in the previous 6 months. preHTN was defined by systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥90th to <95th percentile and hypertension by systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥95th percentile, according to age, sex, and height percentile. Hypomagnesemia was defined by serum magnesium concentration <1.8 mg/dL (<0.74 mmol/L). To control for potential sources of bias related to age, participants were allocated into 2 groups, aged 6-10 years and 11-15 years.


RESULTS
The prevalence of preHTN and hypertension was 12.2% and 6.4%, respectively, in children aged 6-10 years and 13.9% and 10.6% in those aged 11-15 years. Hypomagnesemia was identified in 59 children with preHTN (27.3%) and 52 (45.6%) with hypertension in the 6-10 year age group, and in 115 children with preHTN (36.0%) and 109 (49.6%) with hypertension in the 11-15 year age group. Adjusted multiple logistic regression analysis showed that in children in both age groups, hypomagnesemia was associated with both preHTN (6-10 years: OR, 2.18, P < .0005; 11-15 years: OR, 1.38, P = .018) and hypertension (6-10 years: OR, 4.87, P < .0005; 11-15 years: OR, 1.83, P = .0002).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that serum magnesium level <1.8 mg/dL is significantly associated with preHTN and hypertension in apparently healthy children.
Biomedical Research Unit of the Mexican Social Security Institute at Durango, Mexico; Research Group on Diabetes and Chronic Illnesses at Durango, Mexico.
Fernando
F
Guerrero-Romero
Research Group on Diabetes and Chronic Illnesses at Durango, Mexico. Electronic address: rodriguez.moran.martha@gmail.com.
Martha
M
Rodríguez-Morán
Biomedical Research Unit of the Mexican Social Security Institute at Durango, Mexico.
Gabriela
G
Hernández-Ronquillo
National Institute of Perinatology from Mexico, Mexico; High Specialty Medical Unit, Specialty Hospital, National Medical Center Century XXI, Mexican Social Security Institute, Mexico.
Rita
R
Gómez-Díaz
National Institute of Perinatology from Mexico, Mexico; Family Medicine Unit 4, Mexican Social Security Institute, Mexico.
María L
ML
Pizano-Zarate
Research Unit in Clinic Epidemiology, High Specialty Medical Unit, Specialty Hospital, National Medical Center Century XXI, Mexico.
Niels H
NH
Wacher
Research Unit in Clinic Epidemiology, High Specialty Medical Unit, Specialty Hospital, National Medical Center Century XXI, Mexico.
Rafael
R
Mondragón-González
Biomedical Research Unit of the Mexican Social Security Institute at Durango, Mexico; Research Group on Diabetes and Chronic Illnesses at Durango, Mexico.
Luis E
LE
Simental-Mendia
D000293:Adolescent; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D058246:Prehypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors
D008274:Magnesium