SERUM IONIZED MAGNESIUM CHANGES DURING AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER LIVER-TRANSPLANTATION

Alterations in magnesium (Mg) homeostasis during and after orthotopic liver transplantation are common. The purpose of this study is to comp are total Mg (TMg), calculated ionized Mg (cMg(++)) and measured ioniz ed Mg (mMg(++)) during and immediately following liver transplantation . The newly developed first generation ion selective electrode analyze r, AVL 988-4, was used to measure mMg(++) in 63 Serum samples from 3 t ransplant recipients and 48 serum samples from 48 healthy volunteers. Analysis was divided into intraoperative (stages 1 to 3) and postopera tive periods. Decreased TMg, cMg(++) and mMg(++) levels were observed intraoperatively and >2 weeks postoperatively. The cMg(++) levels were consistently higher than mMg(++), presumably owing to the fact that t he equation used for the calculation does not take complex-Mg++ into a ccount. A better correlation was observed between mMg(++) and cMg(++) in the transplant group (r = 0.87 to 0.99) compared to controls (r = 0 .74). The usefulness of direct measurement of Mg++ in liver transplant ation remains to be determined.