Potassium, Sodium and Magnesium Contents in Skeletal
Muscle of Renal Stone-Formers: A Study in an Area of
Low Potassium Intaket
SOMBAT BOVORNPADUNGKITTI, M.D.*,
POTE SRIBOONLUE, M.Sc., M.C.H (Nutrition)**,
RATREE TAVICHAKORNTRAKOOL, B.Sc.**, VITOON PRASONGWATANA, M.Sc., M.D.**,
SUNTHON SUWANTRAI, B.Sc.**,
CHAGKRAPAN PREDANON, M.D.*,
PlY ARAT TOSUKHOWONG, M.Sc. ***,
SUCHAI SUNT ARAPA, M.D.****
Affiliation : * Khon Kaen Regional Hospital, Khon Kaen 40000,
** Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002.
*** Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330.
**** Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand.
AbstractSkeletal muscles surgically obtained from the stone-former group (external oblique muscle;
n = 202, 82 males & 120 females), control group I (external oblique muscle; n = 5, all males), con-
trol group II (rectus abdominis muscle; n = 23, all females) and control group III (quadriceps
femoris muscle; n = 11, all males) were analyzed for potassium (K), sodium (Na) and magnesium
(Mg) contents. Muscle samples were digested with 65 per cent HN03 and determined for K, Na
and Mg by an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The results of analysis showed the mean K.
Na and Mg (±S.D.) contents in 11mol per one gram of fresh tissue of the stone-former group.
control groups I, II and III were 73.5±16.6, 51.3±13.4 and 6.6±1.3, 77.5±3.9, 43.9±9.9 and 7.2±0.5.
83.8±27.5, 49.4±24.1 and 6.7±1.8 and 85.0±17.1, 48.5±12.1 and 6.8±1.3. Among these variables,
only the K content of control group III was higher significantly (p<0.05) than that of the stone-
former group. In the stone-former group, regression analysis showed significant correlations
between K and Mg contents (r = 0.856, p < 0.001) and K and Na contents (r = -0.325, p < 0.001 ). Due
to no available data of the external oblique, we made a comparison of our results to the soleus
type of skeletal muscle of normal subjects reported by Dorup et at and found that the external
oblique muscle had lower mean contents of K and Mg but a higher Na content than those of the
soleus. Our results were similar to the K and Mg depleted muscles obtained from the patients
receiving long-term treatment with diuretic drugs. The results suggest that most of our subjects in
both the stone-former and the 3 control groups were in a state of K and Mg depletion. The causes
may be multifactorial, for instance low intake, high sweat loss and the existence of environmental
inhibitor (s) for K transport like vanadium.
Keywords : Muscle Potassium, Muscle Sodium, Muscle Magnesium, Renal Stone-Formers
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