SERUM IONIZED MAGNESIUM IN CHRONIC-ALCOHOLISM - IS IT REALLY DECREASED

Chronic alcoholism is associated with a marked deficit in total magnes ium (tMg). However, little is known about the status of the physiologi cally active form, ionized magnesium (iMg). We assessed serum iMg (mea sured with two ion-selective electrodes, AVL 988-4 and NOVA CRT) and t Mg concentrations in chronic alcoholics at admission (n = 31) and afte r abstinence (n = 13) and compared these results with those for a cont rol group (n = 40). At admission, the tMg and NOVA iMg concentrations in alcoholics (0.78 +/- 0.020 and 0.38 +/- 0.016 mmol/L, respectively) were significantly less (P < 0.001) than in the controls (0.85 +/- 0. 008 and 0.50 +/- 0.006 mmol/L). The AVL iMg results, however, did,not differ significantly between the two groups: 0.53 +/- 0.013 vs 0.56 +/ - 0.006 mmol/L, respectively (P > 0.05). The mean iMg between the two analyzers differed significantly in both groups (P < 0.001). After 3 w eeks of abstinence, the alcoholics showed a significant increase in tM g (P < 0.001) and in both NOVA and AVL iMg values (P < 0.01 for each). tMg concentrations were positively correlated with the AVL iMg values in both alcoholics and controls but correlated positively with the NO VA iMg results only in the controls. Thus, the altered status of iMg i s instrument-dependent, and the usefulness of the measurement in alcoh olics is yet to be determined.