Serum magnesium concentration is inversely associated with fibroblast growth factor 23 in haemodialysis patients

Aim Fibroblast growth factor 23 is reported to be a pivotal regulator for the chronic kidney disease-mineral bone disorders, working in coordinated ways with phosphate, calcium, and parathyroid hormone. However, whether there is a relationship between fibroblast growth factor 23 and magnesium is currently unclear. To address this, we performed a cross-sectional observational study in haemodialysis patients. Methods We measured the serum levels of fibroblast growth factor 23, magnesium and other factors that are implicated in chronic kidney disease-mineral bone disorders in 225 haemodialysis patients. Results Simple correlation analysis showed that fibroblast growth factor 23 was not correlated with magnesium. However, upon multiple regression analysis, a significant negative correlation was found between fibroblast growth factor 23 and magunesium (b = −0.164, P = 0.0020). Moreover, the levels of fibroblast growth factor 23 in patients treated with magnesium oxide had significantly lower levels than those without magnesium oxide. Conclusion We speculate that the magnesium is a potential regulator of fibroblast growth factor 23 levels in haemodialysis patients. Our data suggest that follow-up studies to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that underlie this relationship are warranted.