MEDLINE ABSTRACT
Oral magnesium supplements reduce erythrocyte dehydration in
patients with sickle disease.
AUTHOR: De Franceschi L; Bachir D; Galacteros F; Tchernia G;
Cynober T; Alper S; Platt 0; Beuzard Y; Brugnara C
AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Department of Medicine, University of
Verona, Verona, 37134 Italy.
SOURCE: J Clin Invest 1997 Oct 1;100(7):1847-52
Intracellular polymerization and sickling depend markedly on
the cellular concentration of sickle hemoglobin (Hb S). A
possible therapeutic strategy for sickle cell disease is based on
reducing the cellular concentration of Hb S through prevention of
erythrocyte dehydration. The K-Cl cotransporter is a major
determinant of sickle cell dehydration and is inhibited by
increasing erythrocyte Mg content. We studied 10 patients with
sickle cell disease before treatment and after 2 and 4 wk of
treatment with oral Mg supplements (0.6 meq/kg/d Mg pidolate).
Hematological parameters, erythrocyte Na, K, and Mg content,
erythrocyte density, membrane transport of Na and K, and osmotic
gradient ektacytometry were measured. We found significant
increases in sickle erythrocyte Mg and K content and reduction in
the number of dense sickle erythrocytes. Erythrocyte K-Cl
cotransport was reduced significantly. We also observed a
significant reduction in the absolute reticulocyte count and in
the number of immature reticulocytes. Ektacytometric analysis
showed changes indicative of improved hydration of the
erythrocytes. There were no laboratory or clinical signs of
hypermagnesemia. Mild, transient diarrhea was the only reported
side effect. We conclude that oral Mg supplementation reduces the
number of dense erythrocytes and improves the erythrocyte
membrane transport abnormalities of patients with sickle cell
disease.
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