[Magnesium deficiency caused by epirubicin/cisplatin]

In 19 patients receiving a cytostatic therapy with epirubicine and cisplatinum, 31 times in total the renal loss of magnesium was determined using the colorimetric xylidile-blue-method. 16 patients, whose magnesium input postoperatively was equally well known, served as a control. In all these patients a negative magnesium balance could be demonstrated being significantly higher (p less than 0.01) in those receiving cytostatic therapy.