Serum calcium‐magnesium ratio in women with pre‐eclampsia at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria

摘要

Abstract Objective To determine the serum calcium‐magnesium ratio in pre‐eclampsia and compare with normotensives. Methods A case‐control study was conducted in a tertiary hospital between October 2017 and March 2018 among 81 pregnant women (27 cases and 54 controls matched for age, gestational age, and parity). An interviewer‐administered questionnaire was used to obtain data on demography/clinical history. Venous blood was collected without stasis and sent for biochemical analysis. Statistical analysis used IBM SPSS 21.0. Results The levels of serum Ca 2+ (7.73?+?1.24 vs 9.17?+?0.77; P 0.001), Ca 2+ ‐Mg 2+ ratio (3.36?+?0.60 vs 3.83?+?0.41; P =0.001), and Mg 2+ (2.35?+?0.35 vs 2.41?+?0.16; P =0.469) were lower among cases. Serum Ca 2+ level correlated negatively with systolic ( r =0.45, P =0.05) and diastolic blood pressure ( r =0.50, P =0.010) among the cases. Hypocalcemia was a risk factor (adjusted odds ratio [ AOR ] 7.63, 95% confidence interval [ CI ] 1.64–35.37) while social classes 2 and 3 were protective factors ( AOR 0.01, 95% CI 0.00–0.46 and AOR 0.01, 95% CI 0.00–0.24, respectively) against pre‐eclampsia. Conclusion The result of this research supported the implication of micronutrients in pre‐eclampsia and may help to understand the pathophysiological process of pre‐eclampsia. It will also help to establish and enhance existing preventive strategies for the condition. The recommendation by WHO on calcium supplementation in pregnancy as a step in preventing the occurrence of pre‐eclampsia should be practiced.