The Prospect of Serum Magnesium and an Electrolyte Panel as an Adjuvant Cardiac Biomarker in the Management of Acute Myocardial Infarction

Abstract

Background: Ischemic heart disease accounts 12.2% deaths worldwide. Serum magnesium (Mg+) status is often ignored in Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI). Studies showed alterations in the levels of serum electrolytes including magnesium in AMI. Aim: To evaluate serum Mg+ and other electrolytes as adjuvant markers in the diagnosis of AMI. Design and Settings: Case control study was conducted in South Indian male population with AMI within six hours of onset of symptoms. Patients and Methods: Study includes sixty patients with AMI and 100 controls. Serum electrolytes were estimated using electrolyte analyzer. Data were compared by using student‘t’ test. ROC was drawn to find out optimum cutoff for diagnosing AMI. Pearson’s correlation was done to see the association among the markers. Results: Serum Ca, Mg, K and Na electrolytes were significantly lower (‘p’<0.001) in AMI. Ca:Mg, K:Mg, and Na:K ratios were significantly higher when compared to controls (‘p’<0.001). There was significant correlation of serum Mg levels with other cardiac markers (Total CK, CK–Mb, Troponin –T) of AMI (‘p’ <0.05).ROC analysis of Na:Mg (40.9), Ca:Mg (3.43) and K:Mg (2.74) ratios showed optimum cutoffs in diagnosis of AMI. Conclusion: Serum Mg, Ca:mg, K:mg and Na:K ratios could be useful adjuvant markers in diagnosis of AMI.

Keywords

• acute myocardial infarction
• magnesium
• electrolytes
• diagnostic marker
• optimum cut off