title: Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) and hypomagnesemia: A frequent association?
abstract: Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a serious neurological condition encountered in various medical fields. Pathophysiological factor(s) common to PRES cases of apparently unrelated etiologies are yet to be found. Based on the hypothesis that hypomagnesemia might participate in the cascade leading to PRES, our study sought to verify whether hypomagnesemia is frequently associated with PRES regardless of etiology. From a retrospective study of a cohort of 57 patients presenting with PRES of different etiologies, presented here are the findings of 19 patients with available serum magnesium levels (SMLs) during PRES. In the acute phase of PRES, hypomagnesemia was present in all 19 patients in spite of differences in etiology (including immunosuppressive drugs, hypertensive encephalopathy, eclampsia, systemic lupus erythematosus, iatrogenic etiology and unknown). SMLs were within normal ranges prior to PRES and below normal ranges during the first 48h of PRES, with a significant decrease in SMLs during the acute phase. In this retrospective study, constant hypomagnesemia was observed during the acute phase of PRES regardless of its etiology. These results now require larger studies to assess the particular importance of acute hypomagnesemia in PRES and especially the possible need to treat PRES with magnesium sulfate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, hôpital Saint-Antoine, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 184, rue du Faubourg-Saint-Antoine, 75012 Paris, France. Electronic address: audreychardain@gmail.com.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chardain
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, hôpital Saint-Antoine, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 184, rue du Faubourg-Saint-Antoine, 75012 Paris, France.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mesnage
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, hôpital Saint-Antoine, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 184, rue du Faubourg-Saint-Antoine, 75012 Paris, France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alamowitch
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Centre médico-chirurgical Foch, 92150 Suresnes, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bourdain
authors.affiliation: Department of Cerebrovascular Emergency, hôpital Pitié-Salpétrière, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 75013 Paris, France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Crozier
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, hôpital Pitié-Salpétrière, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 75013 Paris, France.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lenglet
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, hôpital Pitié-Salpétrière, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 75013 Paris, France.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Psimaras
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Intensive Care Unit, hôpital Pitié-Salpétrière, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 75013 Paris, France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Demeret
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Centre médico-chirurgical Foch, 92150 Suresnes, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Graveleau
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, hôpital Pitié-Salpétrière, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 75013 Paris, France.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hoang-Xuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, hôpital Saint-Antoine, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 184, rue du Faubourg-Saint-Antoine, 75012 Paris, France.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Levy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053565:Hypercalciuria / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009397:Nephrocalcinosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D054038:Posterior Leukoencephalopathy Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D015499:Renal Tubular Transport, Inborn Errors / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008274:Magnesium
keywords: Eclampsia; Hypertensive encephalopathy; Hypomagnesemia; Magnesium; Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES)