Magnesium Deficiency in Cirrhotic Patients

Magnesium is the fourth most abundant cation in the body and plays an important physiological role in many of its functions.

There are no readily available and easy methods to assess magnesium status but it is estimated that magnesium deficiency is a common problem.

Magnesium deficiency can cause a wide variety of features including hypocalcaemia, hypokalaemia and cardiac and neurological manifestations. Chronic low magnesium state has been associated with a number of chronic diseases including diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and osteoporosis.

There are not enough studies on magnesium status in chronic cirrhotics who may be in depletion. However , several studies have shown in patients magnesium deficiency with liver cirrhosis. Patients with liver cirrhosis showed considerably reduced muscle strength and muscle Mg . Magnesium may have a role in the neuromuscular and neuropsychiatric manifestations of chronic liver disease (hepatic encephalopathy and muscle cramps).

The use of magnesium as a therapeutic agent in asthma, myocardial infarction, and pre-eclampsia is also discussed. We suggest addition of magnesium to patients with established cirrhosis in order to reduce the neuromuscular and neuropsychiatric manifestations of chronic liver disease.