Frequency of Hypomagnesaemia in Children with Hypocalcemic Seizures

Abstract

Aim: To determine the frequency of hypomagnesaemia in children with hypocalcemic seizures. Study Design:  Cross sectional descriptive study. Place and Duration: Department of Pediatrics, Liaquat University Hospital, Jamshoro / Hyderabad. From November 2017 to April 2018. Methodology: Children (06 months to 06 years age and of either gender) having Two or more than two hypocalcemic seizures within 12 hours duration were included in the study . The children with hypocalcemic seizure were assessed for magnesium deficiency (hypomagnesaemia). The evaluation of hypomagnesaemia was done according to the cut off / reference values for hypomagnesaemia (<1.8 mg/dl). The data was collected on pre-structured proforma (attached). Results: Total 147 children with hypocalcemic seizures were taken in this study, among them 49 (33.3%) patients had found low magnesium level and 98 (54.4%) patients had normal magnesium level. Conclusion: Seizures associated with hypocalcaemia is one of the common type of convulsion in children. In our study, a positive relation was found between low levels of serum magnesium and hypocalcemic seizures.