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On admission hypomagnesemia in critically ill children: Risk factors and outcome

Anwarul Haque1, Ali Faisal Saleem

  • 1Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. anwar.haq@aku.edu

Indian Journal of Pediatrics
|November 26, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Hypomagnesemia is common in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs), affecting 44% of admitted children. Key risk factors include sepsis, diuretic use, and aminoglycoside administration, influencing patient outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
  • Clinical Biochemistry
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Hypomagnesemia is a frequent electrolyte disturbance in critically ill children.
  • Understanding its prevalence and risk factors in developing countries is crucial for improving patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence of hypomagnesemia upon admission to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).
  • To identify associated risk factors for hypomagnesemia in this pediatric population.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective chart review was conducted on 179 children (1 month to 15 years) admitted to the PICU.
  • Serum magnesium levels were recorded on admission, and patients were categorized as normomagnesemic or hypomagnesemic.

Main Results:

  • Hypomagnesemia was present in 44% of admitted children.
  • Significant risk factors included age > 1 year, sepsis, hypokalemia, hypocalcemia, diuretic use, aminoglycoside use, and prolonged hospitalization (>5 days).
  • Normomagnesemic patients exhibited a higher mortality rate (32%) compared to hypomagnesemic patients (27.8%).

Conclusions:

  • Hypomagnesemia is a common finding in PICU admissions.
  • Several clinical factors are associated with hypomagnesemia, highlighting the need for monitoring and management in critically ill children.
Abstract

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