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Oral magnesium supplementation in asthmatic children: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial
C Gontijo-Amaral1, M A G O Ribeiro, L S C Gontijo
1Department of Pediatrics and Center for Investigation in Pediatrics, State University of Campinas Medical School, Unicamp, Campinas, SP, Brazil. clesiogontijo@litoral.com.br
Insights
Oral magnesium supplementation improved asthma control in children by reducing bronchial reactivity and allergen sensitivity. This study found magnesium beneficial for managing moderate persistent asthma symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Allergy and Immunology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition affecting children and adolescents.
- Current treatments include inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators.
- The role of magnesium in asthma management requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the long-term effects of oral magnesium supplementation.
- To evaluate its impact on clinical symptoms, bronchial reactivity, lung function, and skin responses in pediatric asthma patients.
- To determine if magnesium improves outcomes in moderate persistent asthma.
Main Methods:
- A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study.
- 37 pediatric patients (aged 7-19) with moderate persistent asthma were enrolled.
- Patients received either 300 mg/day oral magnesium or placebo for 2 months, alongside inhaled fluticasone and salbutamol.
Main Results:
- Magnesium supplementation significantly increased bronchial reactivity thresholds (PC20) to methacholine.
- Allergen-induced skin responses were reduced in the magnesium group.
- The magnesium group experienced fewer asthma exacerbations and reduced salbutamol use compared to placebo.
Conclusions:
- Oral magnesium supplementation is effective in reducing bronchial reactivity and allergen sensitivity in children with moderate persistent asthma.
- Magnesium aids in better symptom control when used with inhaled fluticasone.
- Further research can explore magnesium's role as an adjunct therapy for pediatric asthma.
Objective:
To investigate the long-term effect of oral magnesium supplementation on clinical symptoms, bronchial reactivity, lung function and allergen-induced skin responses in children and adolescents with moderate persistent asthma.
Design:
A double-blind randomized parallel placebo-controlled study.
Setting And Subjects:
The patients were recruited from the Pediatric Outpatient Clinic, Division of Pulmonology, Allergy and Immunology, and followed at the Center for Investigation in Pediatrics at State University of Campinas Hospital, Brazil. Thirty-seven out of 72 patients met the study criteria. There were no dropouts.
Intervention:
The 37 patients (aged 7-19 years, 19 males) were randomized in two groups: magnesium (n=18, 300 mg/day) and placebo (n=19), during 2 months. Both patient groups received inhaled fluticasone (250 microg twice a day) and salbutamol as needed. The primary outcome was bronchial reactivity evaluated with methacholine challenge test (PC20).
Results:
After a follow-up of 2 months, the methacholine PC20 for testing bronchial reactivity has augmented significantly in the magnesium group only. The skin responses to recognized antigens have also decreased in patients treated with magnesium. The forced vital capacity (FVC), the forced expiratory volume at first second (FEV1), the forced expiratory flow at 25-75 and the FEV1/FVC ratio were similar in both groups. The magnesium group presented fewer asthma exacerbations and used less salbutamol compared to the placebo group.
Conclusions:
Oral magnesium supplementation helped to reduce bronchial reactivity to methacholine, to diminish their allergen-induced skin responses and to provide better symptom control in pediatric patients with moderate persistent asthma treated with inhaled fluticasone.
