Loris Pironi1, Emil Malucelli2, Maria Cristina Guidetti1, Giovanna Farruggia3, Bruno Barbiroli2, Stefano Iotti2
1Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Gastroenterologia, University of Bologna, Italy; 2Dipartimento di Medicina Interna dellInvecchiamento e delle Malattie Nefrologiche, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; 3Dipartimento di Biochimica, University of Bologna, Italy
Low serum concentrations of Mg and K have been reported in 2-30% of patients receiving long-term Home-Parenteral-Nutrition (HPN). We assessed by 31P-MRS the [Mg2+] in the calf muscle of 21 patients with Chronic-Intestinal-Failure receiving HPN. Muscle [Mg2+ ] was normal in all patients despite 30% of them had low serum [Mg]. Skeletal muscles Mg content showed to be more consistent with the patients electrolytic status than that of serum [Mg]. We also found correlations of opposite sign of muscle [Mg2+] and serum [Mg] versus serum [PTH] showing the different functional meaning of the Mg present in the two compartments.
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