Serum magnesium and severity of diabetic retinopathy

Background: Diabetic retinopathy is the most frequent cause of new cases of blindness among adults aged 20–74 years. Magnesium deficiency is a possible metabolic factor involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic micro and macr-vascular complications. Aim : to assess magnesium level in relation to the stages of diabetic retinopathy. Methods : the study enrolled 136 diabetic patients consulting Ophthalmology Outpatient Department. The ophthalmologist assigned the patients into 5 categories ; background, preproliferative, proliferative, advanced and maculopathy. Serum magnesium, random blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin were determined. Results : among the 136 patients with diabetes mellitus, 94 patients had diabetic retinopathy and 42 had no retinopathy. There is a significant statistical differences (P-value < 0.05) between diabetic retinopathy and control groups in serum magnesium, random blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin and duration of diabetes. It had been found that serum magnesium remained statistically significant among the groups of patients with different stages of retinopathy. Patients with maculopathy had the lowest value for the serum magnesium level (1.35 mg / dl). Conclusions : serum magnesium level decreased in patients with diabetic retinopathy with lowest level being observed in patients with advanced retinopathy and maculopathy.