الفهرس 
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Abstract
Magnesium deficiency is a common phenomenon in critical care setting and is associated with high mortality. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of hypomagnesaemia in patients admitted to Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Alexandria University Children’s Hospital and to identify subsets of patients at higher risk for the development of hypomagnesaemia.
This study was conducted to follow up serum Mg level in 55 consecutive patients who were admitted to our PICU. Subjects who were on magnesium and calcium supplementation were excluded from the study as well as those who died or discharged within twenty four hours after admission. We measured serum Mg using Dimension® RxL Max® Integrated Chemistry. Hypomagnesaemia was prevalent among pediatric patients admitted to our PICU (65.46%). The lowest value of serum magnesium in our study was 0.4 mg/dl. Patients were assigned by the end of the study into four groups according to their magnesium status. Mg level tended to decrease over the period of admission in our PICU.
The majority of patients were presented by septic shock (33%) and respiratory diseases (29%). Statistically, it was found that serum Mg level on admission did not differ significantly among different diseases. Also, there was no statistically significant association between the groups of patients and the type of drug administered.
PIM 2 score which is measured on admission for prediction of mortality found to have strong negative correlation with Mg level on admission in all groups of patients. PELOD on admission significantly differed between groups of patients as well as PELOD on discharge. There was significant negative correlation between Mg and PELOD on admission.
The results of this study showed that serum Mg level might have an effect upon the fate of admitted patients but not affect their PICU stay.
Correlations between Mg and other laboratory parameters were tested each day of the study. There was only significant positive correlation between Mg and calcium.
Hypomagnesaemia is frequently undetected. Thus it has been suggested that magnesium should be determined routinely in all acutely ill patients especially in those with conditions, diseases or treatment that may predispose to magnesium deficiency.