Table 1

Plasma magnesium concentrations

Measurement
Group (n)
T0
T24
P

Plasma Mg (mM)
C (8)
1.11 ± 0.05
1.10 ± 0.05
NS

S (8)
1.09 ± 0.05
0.89 ± 0.06a,b
0.0078

C-Mg (8)
1.10 ± 0.06
1.29 ± 0.06
0.0078

S-Mg (8)
1.13 ± 0.03
1.01 ± 0.08c
0.0156
KW

2.708
26.863

d.f.

3
3

P

>0.05
<0.0001


Abbreviations: d.f., degrees of freedom; KW, Kruskal–Wallis test statistic; NS, not significant; P, approximate χ2 P value; T0, basal measurement; T24, measurement at 24 hours. Groups: sham control (C), sham control MgSO4-treated (C-Mg), septic (S) and septic MgSO4-treated (S-Mg). Data are expressed as means ± standard deviation.

Dunn's multiple comparisons test: aseptic versus sham control, P < 0.05; bseptic versus sham control MgSO4-treated, P < 0.001; cseptic MgSO4-treated versus sham control MgSO4-treated, P < 0.01. Paired serum magnesium levels were compared within groups using a Wilcoxon signed rank test. Two-tailed P values are shown in the last column.

Esen et al. Critical Care 2005 9:R18   doi:10.1186/cc3004