MONONUCLEAR CELL MAGNESIUM CONTENT REMAINS UNCHANGED IN VARIOUS HYPERTENSIVE DISORDERS OF PREGNANCY

Serum magnesium levels, as well as magnesium content of red blood cell s and peripheral mononuclear cells, were examined in 31 pregnant women in their third trimester. Ten were preeclamptic; chronic hypertension was found in 10, and 11 were normotensive. Magnesium serum levels wer e 1.2 +/- 0.1, 1.2 +/- 0.1 and 1.3 +/- 0.1 mEq/1 in the normotensives, chronic hypertensives and preeclamptics, respectively. Red blood cell magnesium concentration was 3.4 +/- 0.4, 3.7 +/- 0,7 and 3.5 +/- 0.5 mEq/1, and mononuclear magnesium content was 37.9 +/- 30.6, 27.6 +/- 1 5.9 and 30.2 +/- 25.7 fg/cell in the same groups, respectively. These changes were not statistically significant. The results do not support the hypothesis that magnesium deficiency is involved in the pathophys iology of preeclampsia.