Barani Sri, Sridurga Mattyvanan, Rohit S, Divya L C
Magnesium is a crucial component for insulin production and glucose metabolism, and diminished serum magnesium levels are commonly noted in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Despite this relevance, magnesium assessment is not frequently conducted in Indian clinical settings. This study sought to measure serum magnesium concentrations in persons with T2DM and examine their correlation with conventional glycemic indicators. Methods A cross-sectional analytical study was performed with 55 patients with T2DM at a tertiary care hospital. Demographic information, fasting blood sugar (FBS), postprandial blood sugar (PPBS), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and serum magnesium concentrations were documented. Magnesium was quantified by spectrophotometry. Group differences were analyzed using Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests, correlations were evaluated with Pearson's coefficients, and linear regression was employed for predictive analysis. Hypomagnesemia was characterized by serum magnesium levels below 1.70 mg/dL. Results The mean serum magnesium level was 1.95 ± 0.33 mg/dL, and 12 patients (21.8%) had hypomagnesemia. Magnesium did not differ by gender (p = 0.214) or age group (p = 0.287). Magnesium levels varied significantly across HbA1c categories (p = 0.0064). Serum magnesium showed significant inverse correlations with HbA1c (r = -0.41), FBS (r = -0.28), and PPBS (r = -0.34). Patients with hypomagnesemia had higher HbA1c (9.72 ± 2.85%) than those with normal magnesium (7.65 ± 1.94%; p = 0.011). Regression analysis showed no predictive ability. Conclusion Hypomagnesemia is common in T2DM and is strongly associated with poorer glycemic control. Routine magnesium assessment may help identify individuals at higher metabolic risk.