Effect of Oral Magnesium Oxide Supplementation on Cisplatin-Induced Hypomagnesemia in Cancer Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND: Hypomagnesaemia is one of the main side effects of cisplatin-based chemotherapy regimens in cancer patients. The aim of the current investigation was to evaluate the effect of oral magnesium oxide (MgO) supplementation on cisplatin-induced hypomagnesemia. METHODS: This parallel-randomized controlled, open label trial was conducted in a hospital of Iran University of Medical Sciences in Tehran between December 2009 and May 2011. Participants were 69 adult patients with newly diagnosed non- leukemia neoplasms candidate for starting cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Oral MgO supplement according to cisplatin dose (500 mg MgO per 50 mg/m(2) of cisplatin) as 2–3 divided daily doses was started after completion of each chemotherapy cycle and continued to the next cycle for the intervention group. Patients in the control group did not receive any supplementation. Serum magnesium (Mg) was measured before each chemotherapy cycle. The main outcome was measuring serum Mg change and hypomagnesaemia rate during chemotherapy treatment. RESULTS: Sixty-two participants (31 intervention- 31 controls) enrolled into the study. Serum Mg levels showed significant difference between the two groups (P=0.01). There was a significant decrease in serum Mg of the control group (P=0.001). At the end of follow-up period prevalence of hypomagnesaemia in the intervention group was 10.7% versus 23.1% in the control group. CONCLUSION: Continuously oral supplementation with MgO according to cisplatin dose (500 mg MgO per 50 mg/m(2) cisplatin) as 2–3 divided daily doses at rest days between chemotherapy cycles reduces the decline in serum Mg levels and also the prevalence of hypomagnesaemia in cancer patients.