Hypomagnesemia is Associated With Advanced Liver Fibrosis and Impaired Renal Function in Patients Admitted for Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment

Magnesium is an important mineral in the body, aiding in cellular processes in every system. Severe deficiency can lead to muscle weakness, seizures, and death; even small aberrations can affect cellular metabolism and increase inflammation. Magnesium deficiency (hypomagnesemia) is common in people with alcohol use disorder (AUD), although most evidence is focused on patients admitted for other acute processes. This study used data from 753 patients admitted for their first treatment of AUD at 6 hospital-based treatment units in Spain to investigate the prevalence and associations between hypomagnesemia and other health conditions.

• The overall prevalence of hypomagnesemia was 11 percent.
• While hypomagnesemia was the most common electrolyte abnormality, other electrolytes—including calcium, potassium, and sodium—were more likely to be low if hypomagnesemia was present, with the odds of hypocalcemia the greatest.
• In multivariable analyses, only advanced liver fibrosis (odds ratio [OR], 8.91) and estimated glomerular filtration rate <60mL/min (OR, 5.2) were associated with hypomagnesemia.

Comments: Hypomagnesemia is a fairly common finding in patients admitted for AUD and is easily correctable. It is not clear whether there is a causal relationship between hypomagnesemia and liver fibrosis or renal insufficiency. Further research is needed to determine if magnesium supplementation can reduce the risk of liver or kidney dysfunction and other clinical outcomes in patients with AUD.

Corey McBrayer, DO, MPH* & Darius A. Rastegar, MD

* Rich Saitz Editorial Intern & Grant Medical Center Addiction Medicine Fellow, OhioHealth.

Reference: Hernández-Rubio A, Sanvisens A, Barbier-Torres L, et al. Associations of hypomagnesemia in patients seeking a first treatment of alcohol use disorder. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2023;245:109822.