Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 10, 2026

Measurement of Differentially Methylated INS DNA Species in Human Serum Samples as a Biomarker of Islet β Cell Death
10:34

Measurement of Differentially Methylated INS DNA Species in Human Serum Samples as a Biomarker of Islet β Cell Death

Published on: December 21, 2016

Reliability of serum magnesium values during diabetic ketoacidosis in children

J Bauza1, J Ortiz, M Dahan

  • 1Ponce University Hospital, Puerto Rico.

Boletin De La Asociacion Medica De Puerto Rico
|May 4, 1999
PubMed

Insights

Diabetic ketoacidosis in children significantly increases the risk of hypomagnesemia, indicating magnesium depletion. Serum magnesium levels are most accurate during acute DKA, not after correction.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Critical Care Medicine
  • Clinical Chemistry

Background:

  • Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a serious complication of diabetes mellitus.
  • Hypomagnesemia, or low serum magnesium, is a potential concern in critically ill patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of hypomagnesemia in children with DKA.
  • To assess magnesium levels during and after DKA treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Studied 8 children (8-16 years) with DKA, comparing them to 33 stable diabetic children and 30 healthy children.
  • Measured serum magnesium levels upon admission, 24 hours, and 72 hours after admission for the DKA group.

Main Results:

  • Prevalence of hypomagnesemia was 62.4% during DKA, decreasing to 25% after partial correction and 0% after resolution.
  • Children with DKA had significantly lower serum magnesium levels compared to both diabetic and healthy controls.
  • Hypomagnesemia was rare (6%) in metabolically stable diabetic children.

Conclusions:

  • Hypomagnesemia is highly prevalent in children with DKA, suggesting significant magnesium depletion.
  • Serum magnesium levels are most reliably assessed during acute DKA, as correction can mask depletion.
  • Normalization of magnesium levels post-DKA is likely due to reduced urinary losses and fluid shifts.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Microdialysis of Excitatory Amino Acids During EEG Recordings in Freely Moving Rats08:47

Microdialysis of Excitatory Amino Acids During EEG Recordings in Freely Moving Rats

Published on: November 8, 2018

Glycemic Impact on Knee Osteoarthritis Symptoms on Physical, Radiographic, and Inflammatory Markers among Individuals Aged 50 and Over with Diabetes07:22

Glycemic Impact on Knee Osteoarthritis Symptoms on Physical, Radiographic, and Inflammatory Markers among Individuals Aged 50 and Over with Diabetes

Published on: March 7, 2025

Related Concept Videos

Drug Dosing in Renal Diseases: Estimation of Glomerular Filtration Rate Based on Serum Creatinine Concentration01:28

Drug Dosing in Renal Diseases: Estimation of Glomerular Filtration Rate Based on Serum Creatinine Concentration

Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) can be estimated from serum creatinine using the modification of diet in renal disease (MDRD) formula or the chronic kidney disease–epidemiology collaboration (CKD–EPI) equation. Both methods are widely used in clinical practice to assess kidney function and guide treatment decisions.The MDRD equation does not require weight or height measurements and is normalized to the body surface area of 1.73 m², considered the average adult surface area. This equation is...
Hypoglycemia and Glucagon01:15

Hypoglycemia and Glucagon

Without prolonged fasting, healthy individuals maintain blood glucose levels above 3.5 mM due to a well-adapted neuroendocrine counterregulatory system that effectively prevents acute hypoglycemia, a potentially life-threatening condition. The primary clinical scenarios for hypoglycemia encompass diabetes treatment, inappropriate production of endogenous insulin or insulin-like substances by tumors, and the use of glucose-lowering agents in non-diabetic individuals. Notably, hypoglycemia in the...
Serum Studies: Renal Function Tests01:24

Serum Studies: Renal Function Tests

Renal function tests are crucial for assessing kidney health, monitoring disease progression, and evaluating the kidneys' efficiency in waste elimination, fluid balance, and electrolyte regulation. These tests offer critical insights into kidney function, even though routine measurements may appear normal until there is a significant decline in the glomerular filtration rate or GFR. Typically, signs of kidney impairment only become evident when the GFR falls to about 50% of its normal level.
Hypoglycemia01:26

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia is a blood glucose level below 70 mg/dL. It commonly occurs in individuals using insulin or insulin-secreting drugs, but may also arise in non-diabetic conditions. People with type 1 diabetes are at the highest risk because they depend on exogenous insulin. People with type 2 diabetes are also at risk, especially when treated with insulin or medications such as sulfonylureas, which increase insulin release regardless of blood glucose levels. It develops when insulin levels exceed...
Diabetic Ketoacidosis l: Introduction01:25

Diabetic Ketoacidosis l: Introduction

DefinitionDiabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is an acute, life-threatening complication of diabetes mellitus, characterized by a triad of hyperglycemia (blood glucose >250 mg/dL), ketonemia or ketonuria, and metabolic acidosis (arterial pH <7.30 and serum bicarbonate <18 mEq/L). It results from insulin deficiency combined with elevated levels of counterregulatory hormones—glucagon, catecholamines, cortisol, and growth hormone—leading to increased lipolysis, hepatic ketone production, and...
Diabetic Ketoacidosis ll: Pathophysiology01:22

Diabetic Ketoacidosis ll: Pathophysiology

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a metabolic emergency characterized by hyperglycemia, ketonemia, and metabolic acidosis. It results from severe insulin deficiency and an excess of counterregulatory hormones, leading to uncontrolled lipolysis, ketogenesis, and widespread electrolyte and fluid disturbances.Pathophysiology The central event in DKA is a profound loss of insulin action. Without insulin, glucose uptake in insulin-dependent tissues is impaired, while hepatic glucose production...