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Lipid and protein peroxidations were investigated in female patients with magnesium deficit (MD), fibromyalgia (FM) and age matched controls: malondialdehyde and protein carbonyls (PC), as well as serum, leucocyte and erythrocyte magnesium (EMg) were assessed in 20 controls, 25 FM and 16 MD patients. MDA are unchanged in MD and FM. PC are significantly increased (P < 0.01) in FM. EMg is significantly decreased in MD. There is a slight, but not significant, negative correlation between PC and EMg, in controls and MD. Protein peroxidations are demonstrated in FM. Further studies are needed in MD.

Muscle pain has been associated with magnesium (Mg) and selenium (Se) deficiency: magnesium and selenium status were investigated in fibromyalgia (FM). Erythrocyte (E), leucocyte (L) and serum (S) magnesium, serum selenium and zinc, and vitamin B1, B2, A or E status were assessed in 22 patients with fibromyalgia and in 23 age-matched healthy controls. LMg is significantly increased (P < 0.05) and EMg slightly decreased in fibromyalgia. These magnesium abnormalities are associated with previously-reported impairment of thiamin metabolism. Antioxidant status (as well as plasma malondialdehyde) is unchanged in fibromyalgia and serum selenium levels, slightly but not significantly correlated with serum magnesium, is normal.

Abnormalities of thiamin metabolism have been reported in senile dementia of Alzheimer's type (SDAT). Transketolases (TK) were studied in 21 patients with SDAT, 24 age-matched controls and 12 chronic alcoholics. Erythrocytes were assessed for their TK activity coefficient (TK-AC, normal value 8.4 +/- 12.6%) and affinity for thaimin pyrophosphate (Km TPP, normal value 17.8 +/- 8.3 mumol). Comparison between study groups and controls demonstrated increased TK-AC in SDAT (16.6 +/- 15.7%, P < 0.05) and chronic alcoholism (43.4 +/- 40.6%, P < 0.05), and increased Km TPP (38.3 +/- 25.2 mumol, P < 0.01) in SDAT only. These findings suggest structural abnormalities of TK rather than vitamin B1 deficiency in SDAT.

Erythrocyte transketolase activity coefficient (ETK-AC) and affinity for coenzyme (Km TPP) were assessed in 50 patients with transketolase abnormalities such as fibromyalgia or senile dementia of Alzheimer's type, before and after magnesium (Mg), thiamin+pyridoxine (B1,B6), high energy phosphates (HEP) (phosphocreatinine of adenosine triphosphate), and piracetam. Compared to 12 untreated patients, ETK-AC was significantly decreased with B1,B6 (P < 0.05, n = 10); Km-TPP was significantly decreased with HEP (P < 0.05, n = 20) and piracetam (P < 0.01, n = 5). In nine other patients treated with HEP + B1,B6 + magnesium, ETK-AC and Km TPP were both significantly decreased.

Erythrocyte magnesium and glutathione reductase activity coefficient (EGR-AC), reflecting vitamin B-2 status, were assessed in 11 athletes, 20 patients with fibromyalgia, 18 patients with hypothyroidism, and 13 controls. No correlation was demonstrated between erythrocyte magnesium and EGR-AC.