High serum magnesium is associated with lower risk of hepatocellular carcinoma among patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major contributor to the rising incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Magnesium is a major cation in cellular activities. Epidemiological data on magnesium level and its relation to HCC are sparse. This study aimed to examine the associations between serum levels of magnesium and the risk of HCC among patients with NAFLD.

Methods: A total of 26,053 patients with NAFLD were identified in the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Electronic Health Records from 2004 through 2018. After an average of 5.15 years of follow-up, 395 patients developed HCC after the first measurement of serum magnesium. Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs of HCC incidence associated with quartile levels of serum magnesium after adjustment for age, sex, race, body mass index, diuretics use, history of type 2 diabetes, history of hypertension, history of hyperlipidemia, and tobacco smoking.

Results: Patients with NAFLD who developed HCC had a significantly lower mean (± standard deviation) serum magnesium (0.769 ± 0.131 mmol/L) than those who remained free of HCC (0.789 ± 0.125 mmol/L; p = .003). Compared with the lowest quartile, the HRs (95% CIs) of HCC second, third, and fourth quartiles of serum magnesium were 0.87 (0.67-1.12), 0.77 (0.57-1.04), and 0.73 (0.56-0.96), respectively, after adjustment for multiple potential confounders (P  = .02).

Conclusion: This finding suggests higher levels of serum magnesium were significantly associated with decreased risk of HCC among patients with NAFLD.