[Serum levels of magnesium in hepatic cirrhosis]

In a group of 50 patients with liver cirrhosis compared with a group of 50 clinically healthy subjects serum magnesium levels were determined. The patients were divided according the aetiology of liver cirrhosis and to the presence or not of ascite and cholestasis. The serum magnesium levels were related to the main laboratory tests used in liver cirrhosis. The patients present a significant decrease of serum magnesium levels in comparison to controls. The patients with alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver and with ascite have significant lower magnesium levels in comparison with the patients with post-hepatitis cirrhosis and with patients without ascite. There is a significant correlation between serum magnesium levels and serum levels of aldosterone, albumin, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and total pool of bile acids. Direct and indirect effects of alcohol, a secondary hyperaldosteronism, the use of diuretics, and hypoalbuminaemia could account for magnesium serum level decrease in liver cirrhosis.