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Urinary magnesium excretion in asthmatic children receiving magnesium supplementation: a randomized, placebo‐controlled, double‐blind study Volume 16, issue 4, Decembre 2003

Authors
Paediatric Department and Central Clinical Chemical Laboratory, Albert Szent‐Györgyi Medical Centre, University of Szeged, Korányi fasor 13‐14. Szeged, Hungary 6725; County Hospital for Chest Diseases, Mosdós, Petőfi tér 4. Mosdós, Hungary 7357

The aims of this study were to establish whether a magnesium (Mg) deficit indicated by a decreased urinary excretion exists and to determine whether 12‐week oral Mg supplementation affects the Mg status and bronchodilator use in children with stable bronchial asthma. The effects of long‐lasting Mg supplementation were investigated in 89 children 4 to 16 years of age with mild or moderate persistent bronchial asthma in a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, prospective study. Each subject received one capsule of Mg citrate per day (∓ 7 years: 200 mg, > 7 years: 290 mg) or one capsule of placebo containing 260 mg glucose during 12 weeks. Evaluation was performed at 4‐week intervals. Venous blood serum total and free Mg and urine Mg levels were determined at the beginning and end of the 12‐week period. Parents recorded the number of bronchodilator doses twice daily. A urinary Mg loss (6.81 ± 3.9  versus 2.79 ± 1.39 mmol\day, p ∓ 0.01) was observed in the placebo‐treated persistent moderate asthmatics. Bronchodilator use was significantly higher after 8 and 12 weeks in the placebo‐treated than in the Mg‐treated patients with moderate asthma (31.1 ± 1.8  versus 29.5 ± 1.2 puffs per patient\4 weeks, p < 0.05, and 31.0 ± 2.3 versus 29.3 ± 0.9 puffs per patient\4 weeks, p < 0.05, respectively). Long‐lasting Mg supplementation is clearly of benefit in mildly to moderately asthmatic children and is recommended as a concomitant drug in stable asthma.