Can one really measure magnesium deficiency using the short-term magnesium loading test?
OBJECTIVE: To compare a 1-h-version of a magnesium-loading-test (MLT) designed for outpatients in healthy controls with the 8-h standard; to establish the test in patients after renal transplantation prone to develop magnesium (Mg) deficiency; to correlate femur Mg-concentration and percentage retention of the given load. DESIGN: Comparison of mean values from healthy controls with respective from the literature; a prospective, randomized, controlled 4-month study; an intra-individual correlation of Mg-serum values and loading-test data with femur-Mg concentrations. SETTING: One centre study in a medical university; outpatients from the transplant unit; inpatients from the orthopedic unit. SUBJECTS: Twenty-four healthy controls aged 36.7 +/- 7.4 years; 34 patients after renal transplantation (46.5 +/- 14.3 years); 41 patients with hip replacement therapy (63.9 +/- 18.6 years). INTERVENTION: Baseline Mg values were measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) in serum and urine. An
