MAGNESIUM STATUS, SERUM HDL CHOLESTEROL, AND APOLIPOPROTEIN A-1 LEVELS

To determine the relationship between low magnesium status and lipids, we divided 27 patients with microscopic hematuria and normal renal fu nction into two groups according to magnesium retention, as measured b y a magnesium-loading test, and compared their serum lipid and apolipo proteins. Patients with low magnesium status (n = 7) had significantly lower levels of cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and apolipoprotein A-1 than those with normal magnesium status (n = 20); however, there were no significant differences between the groups in serum concentrations of magnesium and apolipoprotein B. These data suggest that magnesium d eficiencies are associated with low serum concentration of HDL cholest erol and apolipoprotein A-1.