Abstract
The magnesium status was evaluated in 30 subjects with Crohn's disease and in 30 controls. Subjects with Crohn's disease had lower concentrations of magnesium in muscle biopsy specimens (p < 0.001), mononuclear cells (p<0.05), and in urine collected during 24 h (p < 0.001) as compared with controls. After intravenous infusion of 60 mmol magnesium and 80 mmol potassium to 17 subjects with Crohn's disease a significant increase in concentrations of magnesium in muscle specimens (p < 0.05), mononuclear cells (p < 0.01), and plasma (p < 0.01) was noted. The retention of intravenously infused magnesium was significantly higher in subjects with Crohn's disease than in 11 healthy controls (p < 0.001) and was inversely correlated with the content of magnesium in muscle specimens (r = -0.52; p < 0.05). The implication of these findings is that analysis of magnesium in muscle specimens and estimation of magnesium retention during an intravenous magnesium infusion are useful to confirm a suspected magnesium deficiency.