Plasma Magnesium in Children and Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes

Abstract Background Magnesium deficiency in type I diabetes (T1DM) has been associated with multiple cardiovascular implications including arrhythmogenesis, vasospasm, and hypertension. Aim This study compared plasma magnesium level in children with T1DM and controls & correlated it with vascular complications in children with TIDM. Methods Forty-Six children and adolescents with TIDM & forty-six controls from the Pediatric and Adolescent diabetes unit (PADU), Ain Shams University were studied. Serum magnesium was measured with assessment of microvascular complications. Results The mean age of the studied children and adolescents with TIDM was 13.73.1 years; their mean disease onset was 6.7#2.2 years. 39.7% of cases had nephropathy, only 2 cases (4.3%) had neuropathy and 1 case (2.2%) had retinopathy. Children and adolescents with type 1DM had statistically lower levels of magnesium, compared to controls, P < 0.001. Magnesium level correlated negatively with insulin daily dose, HbA1c and microalbumin. Patients who developed diabetic nephropathy had statistically lower levels of magnesium (p < 0.001), compared to patients who didn't have diabetic nephropathy. Longer duration of diabetes, higher HBA1c and lower magnesium were independently associated with higher risk of diabetic nephropathy among the studied children and adolescents with TIDM. Conclusion Regular assessment of serum magnesium is mandatory in patients with TIDM. Future studies should assess the efficacy of Mg supplementation in prevention of microvascular complications in patients with T1DM.