Muscle magnesium content and cardiac arrhythmias during treatment of congestive heart failure due to chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy.

Magnesium (Mg2+) plays a significant role in the electrical stability of the heart and hypomagnesemia may predispose patients to arrhythmias and digitalis toxicity. We measured the serum and skeletal muscle Mg2+ content of patients with chronic Chagasic cardiomyopathy (CCC) during treatment for congestive heart failure and compared it to 15 normal patients who were used to establish the normal values of our population. There is a high frequency of muscle Mg2+ deficiency (66%) in patients with CCC during treatment for heart failure. However, serum Mg2+ is not a sensitive index of deficiency, since hypomagnesemia occurred in only 50% of the patients whose muscle Mg2+ was low. Digitalis toxicity was observed in all muscle Mg2+-deficient patients (100%) and in 25% of patients with normal Mg2+ levels (P less than or equal to 0.05). Ventricular tachycardia (VT) occurred in 75% of muscle Mg2+-deficient patients and in none of the patients with normal magnesium levels (P less than or equal to 0.05). The frequency and severity of premature ventricular contractions (PVC) were higher in muscle Mg2+-deficient patients. We conclude that muscle Mg2+ deficiency is very common in patients with CCC being treated for congestive heart failure and that muscle Mg2+ deficiency defines a higher risk CCC group in terms of digitalis toxicity and severe ventricular arrhythmias such as ventricular tachycardia.

[Eosinophilic meningoencephalitis in Villa Clara (Cuba). A study of 17 patients]. / Meningoencefalitis eosinofílica en Villa Clara (Cuba). Estudio de 17 pacientes.

INTRODUCTION: Infection by Angiostrongylus cantonensis is caused by eating snails and slugs or contaminated vegetables, and is the commonest cause of eosinophilic meningoencephalitis throughout the world. OBJECTIVES: To make a further study of this condition, analyze the clinical behaviour and evaluate the cerebrospinal fluid findings and response to treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We made a retrospective, descriptive study by reviewing the clinical histories of a series of 17 adult patients attended in two university hospitals in the province of Villa Clara (Cuba), between December 1991 and January 2000. We recorded the characteristics of the clinical picture, results of the complementary investigations, treatment given and clinical course and the necropsy findings of the three patients who died. The data was collected from questionnaires. RESULTS: Headache was a constant symptom. Twelve patients had high temperatures and seven had stiff necks. Motor deficit and coma were seen in the three patients who died. In two patients the cranial nerves were involved. Spinal fluid pleocytosis varied between 48 and 2570 cells/mm3. Initially there was lymphocyte predominance in 10 patients and subsequently eosinophil conversion. The peripheral eosinophilia, seen in all patients, varied between 7% and 61%. Of the 14 patients cured, eight received symptomatic treatment and six antihelminth drugs. Steroids were given to only one patient. Of the three patients who died, two had received antihelminth drugs. CONCLUSIONS: Motor deficit and coma worsen the prognosis, which is generally good. There is no relation between cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis and raised protein levels in the cerebrospinal fluid, nor between blood eosinophilia and prognosis. The most difficult differential diagnosis in our patients was with leptospirosis. No differences were seen in clinical evolution in relation to the treatment given.