Hypomagnesaemia and gestational diabetes

The role of magnesium in type diabetes is the aim of this investigation. Gestational diabetes is the first presentation of diabetes and it is recognized by impairment of glucose metabolism (OGTT). We can use these individuals as a tool to study the interaction of magnesium and carbohydrate metabolism and extrapolate these results to the diabetes mellitus.

In this study, diagnosis of gestational diabetes was made in 620 pregnant women (by NDDG method). These women were referred to three hospital affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences. 16 individuals (2.58%) had impaired oral glucose tolerance, so they were diagnosed as gestational diabetes. Of these individuals, 13 had risk factors such as age (over 30 years) and obesity (BMI>29). Serum and RBC magnesium, albumin, and total protein of these individuals were measured between 30-32 week of pregnancy and compared with 38 no pregnant women.

There was a significant decrease in serum and RBC magnesium of pregnant group compared to non pregnant, and the gestational diabetes compared to the normal pregnant group (p<0.05). Total protein of the groups of non pregnant, pregnant and gestational diabetes were 6.8±0.28, 6.24=0.28, 6.09±0.18 gr/dL, respectively, which shows a significant decrease of total protein of pregnant individual compared to non pregnant individual, but there is no significant difference between pregnant individual and gestational diabetes. Albumin concentrations of non pregnant, pregnant and gestational diabetes groups were 4.2±0.39, 3.82±0.29, 3.37±0.3 gr/dL, respectively, which showed significant decrease in pregnant group compared to the others groups.

Severe hypoalbuminemia can be an effective factor for hypomagnesaemia in gestational diabetes.