Factors associated with serum magnesium and vascular stiffness in maintenance hemodialysis patients

We evaluated the associated factors of serum magnesium in patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). Furthermore, we evaluated the relationship between low serum magnesium and arteriosclerosis in these patients.

In 129 patients on MHD, we evaluated the blood levels of magnesium, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV), ankle-brachial index (ABI), and intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery (IMT).

In MHD patients, the serum level of magnesium was significantly correlated with age, calcium, TNF-α, albumin, and ba-PWV but not with ABI or IMT. In the multiple regression analysis, albumin (P = 0.0001, β = 0.31) and calcium (P = 0.029, β = 0.18) were selected as significant predictors of the magnesium level in MHD patients. Furthermore, the serum level of magnesium, as well as systolic blood pressure (P = 0.0001, β = 0.32) and age (P = 0.005, β = 0.25), were selected as significant (P = 0.012, β = -0.22) predictors of ba-PWV in MHD patients.

In MHD patients, the serum magnesium level was associated with the serum levels of calcium and albumin. Furthermore, a low serum magnesium level in MHD patients was associated with the index of vascular stiffness.