Lower serum magnesium levels are associated with a higher risk of fractures and vascular calcifications in hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND

Magnesium (Mg) deficiency seems to be associated with altered bone metabolism and vascular calcifications (VC). This study aimed to evaluate the association between serum Mg levels and incident bone fragility fractures and VC in a cohort of prevalent hemodialysis (HD) patients.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective study of 206 patients, with a mean age of 68.3 ± 13.1 years; 121 (59%) were male, and the median follow-up time was 58 months.

RESULTS

Thirty-seven episodes of fragility fractures were identified with a median HD vintage of 42 months-an incidence rate of 29 per 1000 person-years. Patients with fractures showed lower Mg levels compared with those without fractures (P < .001) and more VC (P = .01). In a Cox regression analysis, time to fragility fracture was independently associated with serum Mg <2.2 mg/dL (P < .001), in a model adjusted to age, female gender, HD vintage, diabetes mellitus, body mass index, albumin, parathyroid hormone, active vitamin D therapy and the presence of VC. Patients with Mg serum levels <2.2 mg/dL had a 1.32-fold higher risk of fragility fractures (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that the incidence of bone fragility fractures in HD patients is high and is significantly associated with lower Mg levels and with the presence of more VC.