Serum Magnesium Level and its Association with Acute Severe Asthma in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Rajshahi

Background: Magnesium is a key intracellular cation influencing bronchial smooth muscle tone and mediator release, yet its relationship with acute severe asthma remains inadequately characterized. Objective: To evaluate serum magnesium levels and determine their association with acute severe asthma severity by comparing biochemical and demographic parameters between asthmatic and non-asthmatic individuals. Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional analytical study was conducted over two years in a tertiary care medical department. A total of 152 participants were enrolled, including 76 patients with acute severe asthma (Group I) and 76 age- and sex-matched non-asthmatic controls (Group II). Clinical assessment, sociodemographic profiling, and serum magnesium estimation were performed. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22. Results: The mean age was 39.88 ± 10.83 years in asthmatics and 36.38 ± 12.34 years in controls (p = 0.087). Male predominance was observed in both groups (52.6% vs 55.3%; p = 0.742). Hypomagnesemia prevalence was significantly higher among asthmatics (35.5%) compared with controls (17.1%) (χ² = 6.12; p = 0.013). Mean serum magnesium was significantly lower in Group I (1.90 ± 0.28 mg/dL) than Group II (2.01 ± 0.19 mg/dL; p = 0.004). Asthmatics with hypomagnesemia demonstrated higher respiratory rate (28.4 ± 4.1 vs 24.6 ± 3.8/min; p = 0.001) and increased need for bronchodilator therapy (p < 0.05). No significant association was observed with socioeconomic status or residence (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Hypomagnesemia was significantly associated with acute severe asthma and greater clinical severity, supporting routine serum magnesium assessment as a potential adjunct marker in acute asthma management.