SERUM MAGNESIUM LEVELS IN CHRONIC STABLE ASTHMATIC PATIENTS A CASE - CONTROL STUDY

Objective To compare the serum magnesium levels in chronic stable asthmatics with nonasthmatic healthy controls.Design Case control study.Materials and Methods This is a case controlstudy which was performed on patients with chronic stable asthma and non asthmatic healthycontrols. Thirty patients attending the outpatient department of respiratory medicine with stableasthma were randomly selected and assessed clinically and their serum magnesium levels weremeasured. This was compared with the serum magnesium levels of thirty non asthmatic healthycontrols.Results Significant difference between the two groups was noted (P0.001). Mean (SD)Serum magnesium concentration of 1.18 (0.26) meql observed in the asthmatics was significantlylower compared to the controls which was 1.93 (0.42) meql, P0.001.Conclusion Chronic stableasthmatic patients have statistically significant lower serum magnesium levels compared to healthy controls.