Abdullahi I, Watila M M, Shahi N, Nyandaiti Y W, Bwala S A
Federal Medical Center Azare, Bauchi State, Nigeria.
Neurology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Borno State; Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK.
Niger J Clin Pract. 2019 Feb;22(2):186-193. doi: 10.4103/njcp.njcp_252_18.
Alteration in the homeostasis of trace elements such as magnesium may play a role in the development of epileptic seizures. This study aims to investigate the levels of serum magnesium in people with idiopathic generalized epileptic (IGE) seizures and symptomatic seizures in Northeast Nigeria.
Serum magnesium level was measured using atomic absorption spectrometry among 40 adults with IGE, 20 adults with symptomatic epileptic seizures, and 30 healthy controls. Serum calcium, potassium, phosphate, and albumin were also measured.
The mean serum magnesium level was significantly lower among people with epilepsy compared with the controls [0.79 ± 0.18 mmol/L vs 0.90 mmol/L ± 0.17, P = 0.007, 95% confidence interval (CI): (-0.189 to -0.031)]. People with IGE had significantly lower levels of magnesium compared with those with symptomatic seizures [0.74 ± 0.17 mmol/L vs 0.9 ± 0.16 mmol/L, P < 0.001 95% CI: (-0.251 to -0.069)]. The mean magnesium level for all groups was in the reference range, but the lowest levels were observed in those with IGE. There is no significant correlation between the level of serum magnesium and the severity of seizure attacks. There was significantly lower level of calcium in people with IGE compared with those with symptomatic seizures [2.3 ± 0.13 mmol/L vs 2.4 ± 0.16 mmol/L, P = 0.012, 95% CI: (-0.177 to 0.023)] or controls [2.3 ± 0.13 mmol/L vs 2.4 ± 0.12 mmol/L, P < 0.01, 95% CI: (-0.156 to -0.044)]. No significant differences were observed in the levels of potassium, phosphate, and albumin.
This study suggests that low serum magnesium and calcium may play a role in IGE, and supplementation may be useful in reducing seizures in Black patients with epilepsy.
镁等微量元素内环境稳态的改变可能在癫痫发作的发生中起作用。本研究旨在调查尼日利亚东北部特发性全身性癫痫（IGE）发作患者和症状性癫痫发作患者的血清镁水平。
采用原子吸收光谱法测量40例IGE成年患者、20例症状性癫痫发作成年患者和30例健康对照者的血清镁水平。还测量了血清钙、钾、磷酸盐和白蛋白水平。
与对照组相比，癫痫患者的平均血清镁水平显著降低[0.79±0.18 mmol/L对0.90 mmol/L±0.17，P = 0.007，95%置信区间（CI）：（-0.189至-0.031）]。与症状性癫痫发作患者相比，IGE患者的镁水平显著降低[0.74±0.17 mmol/L对0.9±0.16 mmol/L，P < 0.001，95% CI：（-0.251至-0.069）]。所有组的平均镁水平均在参考范围内，但IGE患者的水平最低。血清镁水平与癫痫发作严重程度之间无显著相关性。与症状性癫痫发作患者[2.3±0.13 mmol/L对2.4±0.16 mmol/L，P = 0.012，95% CI：（-0.177至0.023）]或对照组[2.3±0.13 mmol/L对2.4±0.12 mmol/L，P < 0.01，95% CI：（-0.156至-0.044）]相比，IGE患者的钙水平显著降低。钾、磷酸盐和白蛋白水平未观察到显著差异。
本研究表明，低血清镁和钙可能在IGE中起作用，补充可能有助于减少黑人癫痫患者的发作。
