The Effect of Hypermagnesemia on Platelet Aggregation in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: An in Vitro Study

Magnesium has a reducing effect on platelet aggregation. Decreased glomerular filtration rate in chronic renal failure contributes to elevation of serum magnesium level. The aim of our study was to measure platelet aggregation in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients who developed hypermagnesemia by the addition of magnesiun sulphate (MgSO4) in vitro. Forty-three patients with PD were included in the study. Multiple electrode aggregometry method capable of measuring platelet aggregation in whole blood was used and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) was selected as the agonist. Only ADP was used in the first test cell (C1) of the device; ADP was added as a whole blood agonist, which was raised to magnesium level 3-3,5 mg/dl by the addition of in vitro MgSO4 in the second test cell (C2). Three criteria were used to measure platelet aggregation: aggregation, area under the curve (AUC), and velocity. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between C1-C2 AUC and C1-C2 velocitiy. There was no statistically significant relationship between C1-C2 aggregation. PD patients were divided into two groups, male and female, and the results were examined. In male patient group; there was no statistically significant difference between C1-C2 AUC, C1-C2 aggregation and C1-C2 velocity. In the female patient group; there was no statistically significant difference between C1-C2 AUC. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between C1-C2 aggregation and C1-C2 velocities. Serum magnesium levels may be effective on platelet aggregation in female patients with PD but no similar effect was found in male patients.