Abstract

Since hypomagnesemia is the most common idiopathic unknown electrolyte disturbance among the ICU in-patients leading to increased ICU stay, prolonged mechanical ventilation, and increased treatment costs, this study aimed at investigating the total serum magnesium level of ICU patients under mechanical ventilation. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 ICU in-patients under mechanical ventilation hospitalized in Be'that Hospital in Hamedan, Iran, aged 16+ years with an APACHII score of <20. At first, the total serum magnesium level was measured on day 1, day 2, and at discharge, and its correlation with ICU stay and mechanical ventilation time was estimated. Our findings showed that on the first day, 43 of the patients had hypomagnesaemia, and 57 had normomagnesemia. On the second day, 23 of the patients had hypomagnesemia and 77 had normomagnesemia. Also, at discharge, 97 of the patients had normomagnesemia and 3 had hypermagnesemia. The ICU stay, mechanical ventilation time, and intubation of the hypomagnesemic patients were significantly higher than those of the normomagnesemics (P-value<0.05). Vigilant monitoring of the serum magnesium level in the ICU and prompt treatment lead to decreased ICU and hospital stay and reduced mechanical ventilation time. © 2016 Farshid Rahimi-Bashar et al.