Severe hypomagnesemia associated with pentamidine therapy.

A case of severe hypomagnesemia in a patient with AIDS that manifested as changes in mental status is presented. The hypomagnesemia was due to renal wasting of magnesium, most probably caused by pentamidine-induced renal tubular injury. This entity has been reported once before and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of altered mental status in patients with AIDS.