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Intravenous magnesium therapy may provide "remarkable"
benefit to children with moderate to severe asthma, according to
a new double-blind placebo-controlled study.
Researchers administered a single dose of magnesium sulfate or
a placebo (saline solution) to 30 children experiencing moderate
to severe exacerbations in their asthma.
The children ranged in age from 6 to 18 years old.
Immediately following the infusion, the magnesium group had a significantly
greater percentage of absolute improvement from baseline in each
of the following parameters:
- Predicted peak expiratory flow rate (8.6% vs 0.3%)
- Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (7.0% vs 0.2%)
- Forced vital capacity (7.3% vs -0.7%)
The improvement was greater at 110 minutes:
- Peak expiratory flow rate (25.8% vs 1.9%)
- Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (24.1% vs 2.3%)
- Forced vital capacity (27.3% vs 2.6%)
In addition, 50% of the patients who received intravenous magnesium
were discharged to their homes versus none of those who received
the placebo.
Researchers conclude that, "Children treated with 40 mg/kg
of intravenous magnesium sulfate for moderate to severe asthma showed
remarkable improvement in short-term pulmonary
function."
Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent
Medicine October 2000;154:979-983
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