Hypomagnesemia in short bowel syndrome patients.

CONTEXT Magnesium support to small bowel resection patients. OBJECTIVE Incidence and treatment of hypomagnesemia in patients with extensive small bowel resection. DESIGN Retrospective study. SETTING Metabolic Unit of the University Hospital Medical School of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil. PATIENTS Fifteen patients with extensive small bowel resection who developed short bowel syndrome. MAIN MEASUREMENTS Serum magnesium control of patients with bowel resection. Replacement of magnesium when low values were found. RESULTS Initial serum magnesium values were obtained 21 to 180 days after surgery. Hypomagnesemia [serum magnesium below 1.5 mEq/l (SD 0.43)] was detected in 40% of the patients [1,19 mEq/l (SD 0.22)]. During the follow-up period, 66% of the patients presented at least two values below reference (1.50 mEq/l). 40% increased their serum values after magnesium therapy. CONCLUSION Metabolic control of serum magnesium should be followed up after extensive small bowel resection. Hypomagnesemia may be found and should be controlled.