Calcium and magnesium abnormalities in critically ill children

Vijaywargiya, Taruna; Maurya, Satyajeet; Mohapatra, Sitikant

doi:10.21608/svuijm.2022.137545.1312

Calcium and magnesium abnormalities in critically ill children

Document Type : Original research articles

Authors

¹ Department of Pediatrics, Senior Consultant, Vivekananda Polyclinic and Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India

² ADMO (IRHS), Subdivisional Railway Hospital, Gonda, India

10.21608/svuijm.2022.137545.1312

Abstract

Background: Critical illnesses are associated with several electrolyte derangements which are often not monitored in sick children and leads to increased morbidity and mortality.
Objectives: Primary objective of the study was to assess calcium and magnesium abnormalities in critically ill children presenting in pediatric intensive care unit.
Patients and methods: We conducted prospective observational study in patients aged between 1 month and 16 years old, who were hospitalized at Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) during the period between January 2019 to May 2020, to estimate magnesium & calcium abnormalities on admission.
Results: Out of 129 patients, 48.8% patients had hypocalcemia and 7.8% had hypomagnesemia while 20.2% had hypermagnesemia . Patients with hypocalcaemia had a higher PRISM score (P = 0.030), sepsis diagnoses (P = 0.192), need for mechanical ventilation (p=0.067) and mortality (p=0.124). While hypomagnesemia was significant with sepsis diagnosis (P = 0.024) and need for mechanical ventilation (P = 0.042).
Conclusion: Calcium and magnesium disturbances are frequent findings in critically ill pediatric patients and are often under estimated. So all critically ill children need to be monitored for these abnormalities in PICU.

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