Evaluation of Serum Magnesium level in Asthmatic children

Background: Asthma, the leading chronic pediatric respiratory disease, involves heterogeneous airway hyper-reactivity to diverse triggers, manifesting as cough, wheeze, and dyspnea. Objective: Investigate the association between magnesium deficiency and asthma exacerbation severity in children. Methods: This hospital-based case-control study (Nov 2023-Nov 2024) included 105 children (6-16 years): 35 healthy controls and 70 hospitalized with asthma exacerbation. Results: Mean ages were 7 (controls), 10 (mild/moderate), and 11 (severe) years, with no significant demographic differences (p=0.03). Serum magnesium levels were significantly lower in exacerbation groups pre-admission (Control: 2.00 mg/dL; Mild/Mod: 1.65 mg/dL; Severe: 1.40 mg/dL; p<0.001) and post-admission, with the lowest levels in severe cases. PRAM scores significantly increased with severity (p<0.001). Conclusion: Asthmatic children exhibit significantly lower serum magnesium than controls. Magnesium deficiency strongly correlates with exacerbation severity, indicating its potential as a biomarker for predicting severe acute episodes.