Serum Magnesium Level in Eclamptic Patients In a Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Magnesium deficiency during pregnancy has been reported to be associated with eclampsia. This descriptive cross sectional study carried out in Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Chittagong Medical College Hospital from September 2013 to August 2014. The objective of the study was to estimate the serum magnesium level in eclamptic patients. Serum magnesium level of 80 eclamptic patients and 80 healthy pregnant women (Age and gestational age matched) were measured and compared to evaluate the association between hypomagnesaemia and eclampsia. All the necessary information and clinical data were recorded in predesigned questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS. t-Test and Chi-square test were used for comparison of quantitative and qualitative data respectively. For analytical test the level of significance was 0.05 (‘p’ value <0.05 was considered significant). Serum magnesium level was found below normal (<1.9mg/dl) in 93.75% eclamptic patients whereas in case of healthy pregnant women 73.75% had serum magnesium level within normal range (1.9-2.5mg/dl). The mean serum magnesium level (1.05±0.29mg/dl) was significantly (p<0.05) lower than the mean serum magnesium level of healthy pregnant women (2.19±0.35mg/dl). Significant difference of serum magnesium level between eclamptic patients and healthy pregnant women recommends that there may have some relationship between hypomagnesemia and development of eclampsia.

JCMCTA 2016 ; 27 (2) : 18 - 23