Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by study quality (unclear allocation concealment, unclear blilnding, and incomplete outcome data), by indirectness (lack of data on clinically important outcomes), and by imprecise results (few patients).
A Cochrane review included 4 studies with a total of 317 subjects. Three trials studied oral magnesium, with doses ranging from 12.5 mmol/day to 20 mmol/day. One trial studied parenteral magnesium (16.24 mEq q6h for 24 hours). Only one trial measured clinical symptoms of seizure, delirium tremens or components of the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol (CIWA) score. A single outcome (handgrip strength) in three trials (113 people), was amenable to meta-analysis. There was no significant increase in handgrip strength in the magnesium group (SMD 0.04; 95% CI -0.22 to 0.30). No clinically important changes in adverse events were reported.
Date of latest search: 13 July 2012