Correlation of Magnesium Level with Cardiac and Hepatic Hemosiderosis Measured by T2*MRI Technique and Age in Patients with Thalassemia Major

Ali Ghasemi; Kazem Ghaffari; Fatemeh Hoseini; Aziz Eghbali; Nooshin Sajadei; Vahid Falahati; Yazdan Ghandi

doi:10.18502/ijhoscr.v17i4.13912

Ali Ghasemi Department of Biochemistry and Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
Kazem Ghaffari Department of Basic and Laboratory Sciences, Khomein University of Medical Sciences, Khomein, Iran
Fatemeh Hoseini Clinical Research Development Center of Amir Kabir Hospital, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
Aziz Eghbali Clinical Research Development Center of Aliasghar Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Nooshin Sajadei Department of Pediatrics, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
Vahid Falahati Department of Basic and Laboratory Sciences, Khomein University of Medical Sciences, Khomein, Iran
Yazdan Ghandi Department of Pediatrics, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijhoscr.v17i4.13912

Keywords: Magnesium; Hypomagnesemia; Thalassemia major; T2*MRI; Liver, Heart

Abstract

Background: Given the association of hypomagnesemia with cardiac arrhythmia, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between serum magnesium levels with age and T2* magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of the heart and liver in patients with thalassemia major (TM).

Materials and Methods: In a descriptive cross-sectional study, a total of 62 patients with β-thalassemia major aged 11-48 years were selected at the Amir-Kabir Hospital, Arak, Iran. Serum magnesium, ferritin, and iron levels of patients were measured, and the rate of cardiac and hepatic hemosiderosis of patients was extracted according to the routine T2*MRI method.

Results: The mean age of the patients at diagnosis was 32.6 years. The comparison of TM patients with and without hepatic/cardiac hemosiderosis demonstrated that mean levels of serum ferritin, serum iron, and age were significantly higher in TM patients with cardiac hemosiderosis than in hepatic/cardiac non-hemosiderosis (P < 0.05); however, there was no significant difference in mean levels of serum magnesium in TM patients with and without hepatic/cardiac hemosiderosis (P = 0.279). Interestingly, the correlation of age with serum magnesium levels in TM patients revealed a statistically significant and moderate inverse correlation (r = -0.56, P = 0.013).

Conclusion: Hypomagnesemia may occur in a time-dependent manner. It is recommended that, in addition to cardiac and hepatic T2*MRI, serum magnesium levels be measured by using magnesium replacement if necessary.