The efficacy of magnesium sulfate loading on microalbuminuria following SIRS: One step forward in dosing

45 trauma patients with systemic inflammatory response syndromes (SIRS) were randomly assigned into 2 treatment and one placebo groups. The high dose group received 15？g MgSO4, low dose group received 7.5？g of MgSO4 over 4？hour infusion, and placebo group received saline alone. The initial and post magnesium sulfate injections levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), total antioxidant power and lipid peroxidation were measured after 6, 18 and 36？hours. The pre-infusion along with 6 and 36？hour level of microalbuminuria were also determined.Repeated measurements illustrated that there was no significant difference in TNF-α, total antioxidant power and lipid peroxidation levels among groups during the period of analysis. The microalbuminuria at 36？hour post infusion of high dose group was lower than that of control group (p？=？0.024). Patient’s mortality (28？day) was similar among all treatment groups. Both magnesium infusion groups tolerated the drug without experiencing any complications.No evidence for antioxidative and antiinflammatory effects of magnesium in traumatic SIRS positive patients was found. Magnesium in high doses may be recommended for traumatic patients with SIRS status to prevent microalbuminuria.Magnesium is one of the four most common electrolytes in human body which is an essential co-factor in more than 300 enzymatic reactions. It is involved in many vital processes, such as cardiac excitability [1], transmembrane ion flux, and neurotransmitter release and gating of calcium ion channels [2]. In many respects magnesium serves as a physiological antagonist of calcium [3] and this is a very important theoretical role for magnesium in critical care medicine [4]. Calcium has a defined effect in inflammatory responses, cytokine release and programmed cell death [5]. Magnesium deficiency is common among hospitalized patients (7-11%) and it has been found in 20-60% of intensive care unit (ICU) admitted patients [6]. In near half of electrolyte abno