Severe hypomagnesaemia with tetany following ESHAP protocol.

BACKGROUND

One patient with B-cell Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma developed severe hypomagnesaemia and tetany 15 days after the first course of treatment with ESHAP protocol. This prompted a careful look at the incidence and severity of hypomagnesaemia during treatment with this combination chemotherapy. METHOD: This patient and two further patients having the same treatment were monitored for hypomagnesaemia throughout their treatment period. RESULT: All three patients developed significant hypomagnesaemia requiring intravenous magnesium infusion in the second and third weeks after treatment though not after every course of chemotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

ESHAP protocol is often associated with significant hypomagnesaemia two to three weeks after treatment. Therefore, serum magnesium level should be monitored throughout the treatment period.