ASSOCIATION BETWEEN BLOOD MAGNESIUM LEVEL AND COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AMONG COMMUNITY DWELLING OLDER ADULTS IN TULKARM: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
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Date
2024-05-09
Authors
Layan Alkum
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Publisher
An-Najah National University
Abstract
Background: The investigation into the potential association between blood Magnesium level and cognitive impairment among community dwelling older adult in Tulkarm stems from a growing interest in understanding modifiable factors influencing cognitive health in aging populations, magnesium deficiency is associated with poor cognition or dementia.
Objectives: The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of Magnesium deficiency, to determine the association between magnesium levels in the blood and to determine the factor that associated with magnesium deficiency among community dwelling older adult in Tukaram.
Methodology: A cross-sectional design study was conducted among 200 participants aged 60 years or older. The participants were selected by convenient sampling from Tulkarm Governance. The collected data included: sociodemographic characteristics, medical history, life style, nutritional status, cognitive status and functional status. Mini Nutrition Assessment (MNA) tool was used to screen for malnutrition while Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) was used to determine the adherence to Mediterranean diet. Magnesium deficiency was defined according to Magnesium levels less than (1.9 mg/dl). Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) test. Functional status was determined using activity of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activity of daily living (IADL). SPSS21 software was used to analyze the data, and Chi Square test was used to determine the association between magnesium level and other variables.
Results: The finding revealed that 63.5% were female, with a mean age of 64.6±3.3 years old. Most of the participants (72.5%) were married, 67.5% did not receive formal education, and 40.5% were not working. The most prevalent chronic diseases were: hypertension (32.5%), diabetes (29.0%), and heart disease (15.0%). In terms of lifestyle, 19.0% smoked and 77.5% good sleep quality. A low magnesium level was discovered in 30.5% of the population. The mean cognitive and functional status were; (24.5±3.66), ADL (5.4±1.19), IADL (6.2±3.2) respectively. The results revealed that, there was a significant association between magnesium levels and smoking status (P=0.006), IADL (P=0.048), and cognitive function (P=0.011). There were no significant relationships detected with sociodemographic, sleep quality, Physical Activity, body mass index, malnutrition or adherence to Mediterranean diet.
Conclusions: The prevalence of magnesium deficiency was 30.5%, it was significantly associated with smoking status, IADL and cognitive performance. These findings shed light on the association between magnesium deficiency and numerous elements of participants' lives, as well as possible links to lifestyle and health concerns,
Recommendation: The study findings suggest prioritizing the dietary consumption of older persons and raising awareness about the need of selecting nutrient-rich foods that are high in minerals and vitamins, particularly magnesium. Additional investigation is advised to ascertain the efficacy of Magnesium supplementation on the cognitive and functional condition of elderly individuals. It is advisable to conduct a longitudinal research to examine the causal factors that affected magnesium intake which may impact the cognitive and functional status of older adults in the Palestinian community.
Keywords: aging population, magnesium deficiency, cognitive function, functional status