Congress
for the assessment of stress intensity and stress compatibility in
large groups
Visitors of this site, technicians, research workers, physicians, equipment constructors, employees of electrode producing corporations etc. are encouraged to comment upon the
Memorandum for compatibility of ionized magnesium measuring equipment.
International Congress For the Assessment of Stress Intensity and Stress Compatibility in Large Groups
.........determinationof ionized magnesium
only makes sense to exclude pseudohypomagnesemia
during....hypoproteinemia.
(Klaus Dörner, in “Labor und Diagnose”, by L.Thomas, p 348, TH-Books,1998.)Determination of ionized magnesium is simple, hardly invasive, sensitive, cheap and can be performed by comparatively unskilled personnel with transportable equipment.
Determination of total and bound magnesium cannot be performed on the spot and needs time and a laboratory.
On the other hand, determination of ionized magnesium alone is impracticable, as K. Dörner rightly states. An epidemiological survey of ionized magnesium in large groups may just have its merits, but measurement of magnesium status in individuals by determination of basal values of ionized magnesium alone is impossible, because:
Moderately increased magnesium uptake is not necessarily followed by an increase of the ionized fraction, but rather by an increase of the bound fraction.
Only appreciably increased magnesium uptake may also increase the ionized fraction.
However, an increased ionized fraction often follows stress induced cell depletion of magnesium.
Therefore, a differential diagnosis of the circumstances in which certain levels of ionized magnesium occur is inevitable.
In general, the determination of increase or decrease of ionized magnesium before and after acute exercise could already give some idea of the origin of high or low basal values.
Moreover, simultaneous determination of ionized magnesium and other easily and cheaply measurable on-the-spot parameters such as blood gases, lactate, glucose, amino acids and white blood cell numbers and function, could characterize the stress status at sampling time and therefore be helpful for differential diagnosis.
A determination of ionized magnesium within these parameters seems to make sense, since, together with ionized magnesium, they would mutually describe and support each other`s position. This information could then be used for the assessment of the stress status of an individual and could be much more useful and informative than a mere electrolyte determination.
Possibilities for the application of this method – beyond the scope of basic research – could include sports medicine, ancillary data for psychological assessments, defence medicine, preventive medicine, space medicine, gerontology, prognostic medicine, food and health science, objectivation of the outcome of health cures and much more.
This may open a much wider market for manufacturers of magnesium electrodes, who, up to now, mostly catered for intensive care units and basic and applied research laboratories.
However, disagreement about the validity of data produced by different equipmentfrom different manufacturers has considerably prohibited research into ionized magnesium, because data obtained with one make of equipment has been regularly criticized by the users of the other.
This attitude is still prohibiting world wide acknowledgement of the merits of ionized magnesium assessment, which could – within the borders sketched above – be beneficial for lot of different applications.
A national consensus about high and low margins of ionized serum magnesium, was set up in Germany and Austria. However, it was not very helpful, since the multinational manufacturers continue to disagree about calculation quotients or modes of comparison between their products.
Discussion about critical high or low margins may even not be too important, since it was recently shown that knowledge about the dynamics of ionized magnesium may be of higher diagnostic value than evaluation of basal concentrations.
Therefore, slightl differences in absolute values, obtained using different equipment may be even less important in the future.
In conclusion, for the benefit of magnesium research, an agreement should be sought between all electrode manufacturers. This would encourage them to introduce acceptable data transformation systems into their equipment which would render all ionized magnesium measurements comparable, regardless of the measuring apparatus.
Such an agreement would immediately increase world wide acceptance of the measurement of ionized magnesium; scientists as well as manufacturers would benefit.
Dear Participants of our congress:
In our last session on Saturday, November 27th 1999, we agreed, that I would undertake to collect all reactions to our memorandum as addenda and put everything in our website for 14 days, adding the names of the attendees and presumptive supporters of the memorandum. Those presumptive supporters who finally decide NOT to agree, will please send a mail within 14 days so that their agreement can be withdrawn. After 14 days the memorandum with the names of the reamaining supporters will be sent to Magnesium Bulletin and published in the 1st issue of 2000.
Written comments of participants to the memorandum DURING the congress:
Kollmann: Development of inert-gas probes.
Seelig: what is needed is greater reliability (sensitivity) of the electrodes. Has information that some electrodes have been modified to make the service more competitive (financially), but at the cost of their sensitivity.
Pinter: underlines the importance of this kind of stress assessment in gerontology.
Castell: accepts the principle as good, wants prior explanation, why Mg is important
Kaciuba-Uscilko: Agreed, no comments
Nazar: Agreed, no comments
Temmel: Agreed, no comments
If I do not agree with the memorandum, I will withdraw my name within 14 days.
Bacher, Dr.
Boehmer, Dr
Bradshaw, Col., Dr.
Bruggraber, DI
Castell, Dr.
Bailey, Dr.
Doder,Dr.
Fleck, Dr.
Frise, Brig. Gen., Dr.
Harer, Dr.
Hueber, Mag.
Kaciuba-Uszilko, Dr.
Kim, S. W. Col.
Kollmann, Dr.
Marktl, Dr.
Nazar, Dr.
Palasser, Dr.
Pfannhauser, Dr.
Pinter, Dr.
Porta, Dr.
Rowe, Dr.
Seelig, Dr.
Seidl, Dr.
Smolle, Dr.
Temmel, Dr.
Wieltschnig, Dr.
Zollner, Dr.
