Clinical and methodological aspects in the diagnosis of magnesium deficiency in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

• Main Authors: Ya G Bozhko, M V Arkhipov, N A Belokonova, D V Kiseleva
• Format: Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: ECO-vector 2019-12-01
• Series: Kazanskij Medicinskij Žurnal
• Subjects: paroxysmal atrial fibrillation; magnesium deficiency; intracellular magnesium; free fatty acids; calcium-magnesium index
• Online Access: https://kazanmedjournal.ru/kazanmedj/article/viewFile/11527/8995

Aim. To determine magnesium deficiency in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation using a comprehensive clinical and laboratory approach. Methods. The prospective cohort study included 35 patients of the cardiology department of the Medical association «Novaya bolnitsa». The main group consisted of 22 patients with frequently recurrent paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, the control group - 13 patients without cardiac arrhythmias. The clinical status, Holter-monitoring of the electrocardiogram, the results of the clinical test for magnesium deficiency, laboratory parameters of calcium, magnesium in blood plasma and formed elements, magnesium in whole blood, free fatty acids and plasma osmolarity were evaluated. Results. The clinical score of magnesium deficiency was significantly higher in patients from the main group compared to the control [16.5 (11÷21) vs 13 (8÷15), p <0.001]. In the main group, there was a decrease of magnesium in the whole blood [0.55 (0.5÷0.59) vs 0.61 (0.58÷0.54), p=0.002] and inside the blood cells [0.68 (0.53÷1.29) vs 1.38 (1.29÷1.44), p <0.001]. In patients with atrial fibrillation there is a shift of the ratio of calcium to magnesium in blood plasma [2.5 (2.5÷3) vs 2.9 (2.8÷3.15), p=0.029] and intracellularly [4.85 (2.62÷9.3) vs 1.7 (1.4÷1.95), p=0.002]. The redistribution of calcium and magnesium is influenced not only by the initial concentration of cations, but also by free fatty acids. The best redistribution was obtained when the concentration of free fatty acids was 900 µmol/l, magnesium 1 mmol/l, and calcium 3 mmol/l, which is consistent with the optimal value of cations in the blood plasma. Conclusion. Patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation had a significantly lower magnesium content in whole blood and inside the blood cells; magnesium concentration in the cells and in whole blood closely correlated with the results of the clinical test for evaluating magnesium deficiency; intracellular magnesium content can be influenced by the complexing interaction with free fatty acids.