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Total and ionized Magnesium in serums with ethanol content and in chronic alcoholics

Hypomagnesemia was associated with alcoholism in the late 1960s. In serum, magnesium exists in three fractions: protein bound, complex-bound and in free ionized form.Only the free ionized fraction is biologically active. We compared the use of ionized (iMg) vs total (tMg) magnesium measurements in patients with confirmed ethanol ingestion and in chronic alcoholism. iMg was measured by the ISE method, tMg was measured spectrophotometrically with xylidyl blue in groups of patients with ethanol ingestion (n=91) and chronic alcoholics (n=64) at the end of their hospitalization without ethanol ingestion. These results were compared to those of the control group (n=74). iMg level was significantly lower in the ethanol-containing specimens (0, 49+/-0, 07 mmol/L, mean +/- SD) compared to the control group (0, 55+/-0, 06 mmol/L, p<0, 05). In the group of chronic alcoholics, iMg (0, 52+/-0, 06 mmol/L) level was not significantly different compared to the control group. tMg level from the ethanol-containing specimens (0, 91+/-0, 13 mmol/L) was not significantly different from the controls (0, 95+/-0, 11 mmol/L), but the tMg level in the group of chronic alcoholics (0, 85+/-0, 12 mmol/L) was significantly lower (p<0, 05) compared to controls. The correlations between ethanol concentrations vs iMg and tMg concentrations were not significant. Measurement of serum iMg instead tMg may be advatage in assesing the appropriate management of patients with ethanol ingestion and chronic alcoholics.

ionized magnesium; total magnesium; ethanol ingestion

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