(01-02-13) Low Serum Magnesium and the Development of Atrial Fibrillation in the Community: The Framingham Heart Study.

May Khan A, Lubitz SA, Sullivan LM, Sun JX, Levy D, Vasan RS, Magnani JW,
Ellinor PT, Benjamin EJ, Wang TJ.
Source
1 University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA;
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Low serum magnesium has been linked to increased risk of atrial fibrillation
(AF) following cardiac surgery. It is unknown whether hypomagnesemia
predisposes to AF in the community.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
We studied 3,530 participants (mean age, 44 years; 52% women) from the
Framingham Offspring Study who attended a routine examination, and were free of
AF and cardiovascular disease. We used Cox proportional hazard regression
analysis to examine the association between serum magnesium at baseline and
risk of incident AF. Analyses were adjusted for conventional AF risk factors,
use of antihypertensive medications, and serum potassium. During up to 20 years
of follow-up, 228 participants developed AF. Mean serum magnesium was 1.88
mg/dl. The age- and sex-adjusted incidence rate of AF was 9.4 per 1,000 person-
years (95% confidence interval, 6.7 to 11.9) in the lowest quartile of serum
magnesium (??1.77 mg/dl), compared with 6.3 per 1,000 person-years (95%
confidence interval, 4.1 to 8.4) in the highest quartile (??1.99 mg/dl). In
multivariable-adjusted models, individuals in the lowest quartile of serum
magnesium were approximately 50% more likely to develop AF (adjusted hazard
ratio, 1.52, 1.00 to 2.31; P=0.05), compared with those in the upper quartiles.
Results were similar after excluding individuals on diuretics.
CONCLUSIONS:
Low serum magnesium is moderately associated with the development of AF in
individuals without cardiovascular disease. Because hypomagnesemia is common in
the general population, a link with AF may have potential clinical
implications. Further studies are warranted to confirm our findings and
elucidate the underlying mechanisms.


Source: Circulation. 2012 Nov 21. [Epub ahead of print]

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