Serum Total Magnesium Level and its Correlation with Symptom Control in Children with Mild Persistent Asthma

To determine the prevalence of hypomagnesemia in children with mild persistent asthma and to correlate the serum magnesium levels with symptom control in the above children.

It was a cross sectional study carried out from 1st April 2015 to 31st July 2016 at the department of Pediatrics, JIPMER Hospital. Participants included six to 12-y-old children with mild persistent asthma registered at childhood asthma clinic. Pulmonary function tests were done in all children using Care fusion Jaeger spirometer. Symptom control was assessed by childhood asthma control test questionnaire and the asthma control test questionnaire (ACT) score. Serum magnesium was measured using photometric method. Proportion of children with well controlled, partially controlled and poorly controlled asthma, serum magnesium levels across the three levels of control and correlation of serum magnesium level with ACT score and pulmonary function tests were studied.

The prevalence of hypomagnesemia in children with mild persistent asthma was 5.6%. The median serum magnesium level was 2.0 mg/dl (IQR 1.9-2.1 mg/dL). As assessed by the ACT score, 66% had well controlled, 23% had partially controlled and 11% had poorly controlled asthma. There was no significant difference in the serum magnesium levels in the above three groups. There was no significant correlation between serum magnesium levels and ACT score as well as pulmonary function tests.

The prevalence of hypomagnesemia in the index study is much lower than earlier studies and there seems to be no significant association between serum magnesium levels and asthma symptom control.