Characteristics of patients grouped according to serum magnesium concentration
| Characteristic | Number of patients | Number (%) of patients with: | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Characteristic | Number of patients | Hypomagnesaemia (≤0.76 mmol/l) | Normomagnesaemia (0.77–1.08 mmol/l) | Hypermagnesaemia (≥1.09 mmol/l) | p Value |
| ACE, angiotensin converting enzyme; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. | |||||
| Left ventricular ejection fraction (%) | |||||
| 30–49% | 70 | 10 (37.0) | 56 (29.9) | 4 (25.0) | NS |
| >50 | 107 | 9 (33.3) | 90 (48.1) | 8 (50.0) | |
| <29 | 53 | 8 (29.6) | 41 (21.9) | 4 (25.0) | |
| Presence of ventricular premature beats | |||||
| Yes | 61 | 7 (14.0) | 51 (15.3) | 3 (15.0) | NS |
| No | 343 | 43 (86.0) | 283 (84.7) | 17 (85.0) | |
| Atrial fibrillation | |||||
| Yes | 89 | 12 (24.0) | 71 (21.7) | 6 (30.0) | NS |
| No | 308 | 38 (76.0) | 256 (78.3) | 14 (70.0) | |
| Atrioventricular or bundle branch block | |||||
| Yes | 173 | 19 (38.0) | 144 (43.2) | 10 (50.0) | NS |
| No | 230 | 31 (62.0) | 189 (56.8) | 10 (50.0) | |
| QTc | |||||
| Normal | 327 | 48 (96.0) | 257 (96.3) | 19 (95.0) | NS |
| Prolonged | 13 | 2 (4.0) | 10 (3.0) | 1 (5.0) | |
| Pulmonary oedema on admission | |||||
| Yes | 148 | 15 (30.0) | 123 (37.8) | 10 (50.0) | NS |
| No | 247 | 35 (70.0) | 202 (62.2) | 10 (50.0) | |
| Duration of furosemide treatment | |||||
| <1 year | 99 | 11 (23.4) | 84 (26.3) | 5 (25.0) | NS |
| >1 year | 284 | 36 (76.6) | 233 (73.0) | 15 (75.0) | |
| Serum potassium (mmol/l) | |||||
| ≤3.5 | 51 | 10 (20.4) | 37 (11.1) | 4 (20.0) | NS |
| 3.6–5.8 | 352 | 39 (79.6) | 297 (88.9) | 16 (80.0) | |
| Comorbid conditions | |||||
| Hypertension | |||||
| Yes | 117 | 13 (26.5) | 98 (29.7) | 6 (30.0) | NS |
| No | 282 | 36 (73.5) | 232 (70.3) | 14 (70.0) | |
| Coronary artery disease | |||||
| Yes | 192 | 20 (40.0) | 162 (48.5) | 10 (50.0) | NS |
| No | 212 | 30 (60.0) | 172 (51.5) | 10 (50.0) | |
| Hyperlipidaemia | |||||
| Yes | 105 | 11 (22.0) | 89 (26.7) | 5 (25.0) | NS |
| No | 298 | 39 (78.0) | 244 (73.3) | 15 (75.0) | |
| Anaemia (Hb <12 g/dl) | |||||
| Yes | 164 | 19 (38.0) | 133 (40.3) | 12 (60.0) | NS |
| No | 236 | 31 (62.0) | 197 (59.7) | 8 (40.0) | |
| Severe liver disease or chronic gastrointestinal disease | |||||
| Yes | 20 | 4 (8.0) | 15 (4.5) | 1 (5.0) | NS |
| No | 384 | 46 (92.0) | 319 (95.5) | 19 (95.0) | |
| Alcoholism | |||||
| Yes | 4 | 0 (0.0) | 4 (1.2) | 0 (0.0) | NS |
| No | 400 | 50 (100.0) | 330 (98.8) | 20 (100.0) | |
| Heavy smoking or COPD | |||||
| Yes | 102 | 13 (26.0) | 83 (24.9) | 6 (30.0) | NS |
| No | 302 | 37 (74.0) | 251 (75.1) | 14 (70.0) | |
| Treatment | |||||
| Digoxin | |||||
| Yes | 111 | 14 (28.0) | 90 (26.9) | 7 (35.0) | NS |
| No | 293 | 36 (72.0) | 244 (73.1) | 13 (65.0) | |
| Antiarrhythmic drugs | |||||
| Yes | 64 | 8 (16.0) | 53 (15.9) | 3 (15.0) | NS |
| No | 340 | 42 (84.0) | 281 (84.1) | 17 (85.0) | |
| ACE inhibitors | |||||
| Yes | 216 | 21 (42.0) | 184 (55.1) | 11 (55.0) | NS |
| No | 188 | 29 (58.0) | 150 (44.9) | 9 (45.0) | |
| Thiazides | |||||
| Yes | 14 | 2 (4) | 10 (2.9) | 2 (10) | NS |
| No | 390 | 48 (96) | 324 (97) | 18 (90) | |
| Spironolactone | |||||
| Yes | 13 | 1 (2) | 11 (3.3) | 1 (5) | NS |
| No | 391 | 49 (98) | 323 (96.7) | 19 (95) | |