title: The relationship between elevated magnesium levels and coronary artery ectasia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) without specific symptoms is the localised or diffuse swelling of the epicardial coronary arteries. Magnessium (Mg) plays an important role in cardiac excitability, vascular tonus, contractibility, reactivity and vasodilatation. In our research, we aimed to study the vasodilatory effect of Mg in the aetiopathogenesis of ectasia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients identified during routine coronary angiograms in our clinic between January 2010 and 2013 were included in the study. Sixty-two patients with isolated CAE, 57 with normal coronary angiograms (NCA), 73 with severe coronary artery disease (CAD), and 95 with stenosis of at least one coronary artery and CAE (CAD + CAE) were included in the study. Serum Mg levels were measured in mg/dl after 12 hours of fasting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of age, hypertension, smoking, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes mellitus, family history of coronary artery disease and medications used. Serum glucose, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), urea, total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, sodium and potassium levels were similar in all groups. Serum Mg levels were 1.90 ± 0.19 mg/dl in patients with isolated CAE, 1.75 ± 0.19 mg/dl in those with CAD, 1.83 ± 0.20 mg/dl in those with CAD + CAE, and 1.80 ± 0.16 mg/dl in the NCA group. These results show that Mg levels were higher in ectasia patients with or without CAD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The histopathological characteristics of patients with CAE were similar to those with CAD. The specific mechanism of abnormal luminal dilatation seen in CAE however remains to be elucidated. Mg is a divalent cation with powerful vasodilatory effects. In our study, serum Mg levels were found to be statistically higher in ectasia patients with or without CAD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Arel Universty, Private Medicana Camlica Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. Email: yolcudoctor@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yolcu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Erzurum Region Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Emrah
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ipek
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Sani Konukoğlu Medical Centre, Gaziantep, Turkey.
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Turkmen
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kartal Kosuyolu High Specialty Education and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yücel
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ozen
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Erzurum Region Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erkan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Sani Konukoğlu Medical Centre, Gaziantep, Turkey.
authors.forename: Alper
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sertcelik
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Erzurum Region Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatih Rifat
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Ulusoy
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014664:Vasodilation
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008274:Magnesium