Measurement of Serum Levels of Sodium, Potassium, and Magnesium in Diabetic Subjects and Establishing Its Role in the Development of Microvascular and Macrovascular Complications

Abstract

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by persistent hyperglycaemia resulting from insulin resistance and progressive pancreatic β-cell dysfunction. The disease has become one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide because of its increasing prevalence and the development of disabling microvascular and macrovascular complications. Objectives: To determine serum sodium, potassium, and magnesium levels among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and to evaluate their association with the presence of microvascular and macrovascular complications. Materials and Methods: A hospital-based, single-centre observational study was conducted among 110 adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus attending the Department of General Medicine at Justice K.S. Hegde Charitable Hospital, Mangaluru. Participants were divided equally into two groups comprising patients with diabetic complications (n = 55) and patients without complications (n = 55). Serum sodium, potassium, and magnesium concentrations were measured using standard laboratory techniques. Results: Among patients without complications, abnormal serum magnesium, sodium, and potassium levels were observed in 27.3%, 58.2%, and 32.7% of participants, respectively. In patients with diabetic complications, abnormal magnesium, sodium, and potassium levels were detected in 34.5%, 50.9%, and 36.4% of participants, respectively. Mean serum magnesium was marginally lower in patients with complications (1.784 ± 0.421 mmol/L) than those without complications (1.815 ± 0.389 mmol/L; p = 0.690). Conclusion: Electrolyte abnormalities were common among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus irrespective of complication status. Although no statistically significant association was observed between serum sodium, potassium, or magnesium levels and diabetic complications, potassium demonstrated a borderline trend towards significance.

Keywords: Type 2 diabetes mellitus; Sodium; Potassium; Magnesium; Electrolytes; Microvascular complications; Macrovascular complications.