Intravenous magnesium sulfate: a new weapon against acute asthma?

Intravenous magnesium sulfate (IVMg) has shown beneficial effects in acute asthma in adults because of its potential to reverse the bronchospasm. The results are however, not consistent in all studies. With this background the present randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in children of 6-18 years age. The cases in study and control groups (15 and 16 patients, respectively), selected on the basis of peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) less than 60% of predicted after 3 nebulizations of (32 agonists, were matched for mean age, sex ratio, respiratory rate, PEFR, PEFR (% predicted), forced vital capacity (FVC), home treatment, emergency room visits in the past and baseline serum magnesium levels. Only forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) differed in two groups (33.1 ± 11.4 and 45.1 ± 12.2% of predicted in study and control groups, respectively). The study group received IVMg (25 mg/kg magnesium sulfate, maximum 2 g in 100 ml saline) as infusion over 20 minutes.