Serum Magnesium Levels Across Clinical Stages of Alcoholic Liver Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study From South India

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) involves progressive hepatic dysfunction and frequent electrolyte disturbances, but the relationship between serum magnesium and clinically staged ALD remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the relationship between the two with established markers of disease severity.

In this hospital‑based cross‑sectional study, 80 adults with confirmed ALD were enrolled at a tertiary center in Karaikal, TN, IND, between January and December 2025. Patients were classified as non‑cirrhotic ALD, compensated cirrhosis, or decompensated cirrhosis. Clinical evaluation, laboratory tests (including serum magnesium), viral serology, ultrasonography, and the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) and Maddrey's discriminant function (DF) scores were obtained. Prognostic assessment was performed using the MELD, Maddrey's DF, and the age-bilirubin-INR-creatinine (ABIC) scores.

Most patients had non‑cirrhotic ALD (53.8%) or decompensated cirrhosis (40.0%); nearly all were male. With advancing stages, hemoglobin, platelets, sodium, albumin, and coagulation indices worsened, and MELD and DF scores increased significantly. Serum magnesium showed a progressive, borderline non‑significant decline (p=0.071).

Conventional biochemical markers and prognostic scores robustly reflected ALD severity, while serum magnesium trended downward across stages, suggesting a potential adjunctive role rather than a standalone severity marker.