Abstract
We report a case of persistent hypomagnesaemia in a twenty-year-old girl with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) despite continuous intravenous magnesium supplementation following nutritional replacement and correction of all other relevant electrolyte deficiencies. Untreated hypomagnesaemia can have serious clinical consequences. Previous associations with TB relate to a combination of the disease itself, TB drugs, malnutrition or alcoholism. It may persist despite treatment of TB, electrolyte abnormalities, removal of offending drugs, and nutritional repletion. In such circumstances, even in the normokalaemic TB patient, it is important to retain a high index of suspicion as it may require ongoing treatment.
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