Volume: 46 Issue: 3
Year: 2026, Page: 204-212, Doi: https://doi.org/10.51248/v46i3.27
Received: March 4, 2026 Accepted: July 17, 2026 Published: Aug. 5, 2026
Background: Magnesium is the second most abundant intracellular cation and an essential cofactor for over 600 enzymatic reactions. Dysmagnesaemia, particularly hypomagnesaemia, is a frequently underrecognised electrolyte abnormality in hospitalised patients despite its significant clinical consequences including neuromuscular dysfunction, cardiac arrhythmias, and impaired glucose metabolism. Objectives: To determine the prevalence and demographic distribution of serum magnesium dysregulation among inpatients (IP) and outpatients (OP), and to assess its association with age group, sex, and care setting. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted over 12 months (January–December 2019) at a tertiary care hospital. Of 649 samples requisitioned, 646 with valid results were analysed. Serum magnesium was measured by automated colorimetric assay. Reference range: 1.7–2.3 mg/dL. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, and chi-square tests. Results: The mean serum magnesium was 1.88 ± 0.41 mg/dL (range: 0.45–4.25). Of 646 patients, 491 (76.0%) were normomagnesaemic, 129 (20.0%) were deficient, and 26 (4.0%) had hypermagnesaemia. Inpatients had significantly lower levels than outpatients (1.85 vs 1.98 mg/dL; p = 0.0008) with 2.65× higher deficiency prevalence (23.3% vs 8.8%). Children (<20 yr) had the highest deficiency rate (31.2%); the elderly (>60 yr) also had high deficiency (26.8%) and hypermagnesaemia (7.0%). Age group was significantly associated with magnesium status (χ² = 24.03; p = 0.0005). Sex differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.175). Conclusion: Hypomagnesaemia affects 1 in 5 hospitalised patients and is disproportionately high in children, the elderly, and inpatients. Routine serum magnesium screening should be incorporated into standard inpatient biochemical assessment, particularly for high-risk populations
Keywords: serum magnesium; hypomagnesaemia; hypermagnesaemia; dysmagnesaemia;
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Annavarapu Umalakshmi, Mangala N. Sirsikar, Shailaja Alapaty. Serum Magnesium Levels in Hospitalised and Outpatient Populations: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study. Biomedicine: 2026, 46(3): 204-212. https://doi.org/10.51248/v46i3.27