Urinary magnesium deficiency and acute urinary retention.

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Nephrology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Acute urinary retention (AUR) is a common urological emergency.
• The etiology of AUR is multifactorial, with potential roles for electrolyte imbalances.
• Magnesium's role in smooth muscle function suggests a possible link to urinary retention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between urinary magnesium concentrations and the risk of acute urinary retention (AUR).
• To identify urinary magnesium as a potential biomarker for AUR.
• To explore the correlation between urinary magnesium and prostate symptom severity.

Main Methods:

• A prospective case-control study involving 23 AUR cases and 23 matched controls.
• Urine analysis was performed to measure magnesium, calcium, and creatinine levels (mg/dL).
• Statistical analysis included comparisons between groups, correlation analysis, and logistic regression to determine risk.

Main Results:

• AUR cases showed significantly lower urinary magnesium, calcium, and creatinine levels compared to controls.
• After adjusting for creatinine, intergroup differences in magnesium and calcium were not significant.
• A magnesium cut-off of 3.57 mg/dL predicted AUR risk (OR: 1.80), with 82.6% sensitivity.
• An inverse correlation was observed between International Prostate Symptom Score and urinary magnesium levels.

Conclusions:

• Urinary magnesium levels may serve as a potential risk marker for acute urinary retention.
• Further research is warranted to validate these findings and explore magnesium modulation for lower urinary tract disorders.
• Low urinary magnesium is associated with increased risk and severity of AUR.