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Abstract
Primary objective: Experimental and clinical studies have suggested that magnesium has neuroprotective and vasodilatation properties. A meta-analysis was conducted to assess the effectiveness and safety of intravenous magnesium therapy in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH).
Research design: Meta-analysis.
Methods and procedures: Medline, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library were searched for prospective controlled trials evaluating intravenous magnesium for treating SAH after a ruptured aneurysm without language restrictions. Two researchers performed the literature search and data extraction independently.
Main outcomes and results: Six prospective controlled trials involving 699 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Magnesium infusion reduced the risk of poor outcome and delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI): the relative risk was 0.62 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.46–0.83) and 0.73 (95% CI 0.53–1.00), respectively. Sensitivity analyses were consistent with the meta-analysis. The withdrawal rate for adverse effects was higher in the magnesium-treatment arm compared to the placebo arm, RR 9.98 (95% CI 3.04–32.74).
Conclusion: The meta-analysis suggests that intravenous magnesium therapy reduces the risk of DCI and poor outcome after aneurysmal SAH. Serum magnesium should be routinely monitored for both effectiveness and safety considerations.
Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.