Randomised trial of magnesium in in-hospital cardiac arrest. Duke Internal Medicine Housestaff.

What Was Tested

Researchers studied Magnesium Sulfate in this randomized controlled trial publication.

Because few data on its use in cardiac arrest were available, the researchers undertook a randomised placebo-controlled trial (MAGIC trial).

Who Took Part

According to the abstract, 76 patients were involved.

By PubMed's age tags, the people studied were middle-aged adults and older adults, both men and women.

Only patients in intensive care or general wards were eligible; those whose cardiac arrest occurred in emergency, operating, or recovery rooms were excluded.

The primary endpoint was return of spontaneous circulation, defined as attainment of any measurable blood pressure or palpable pulse for at least 1 h after cardiac arrest.

How the Study Was Run

The researchers set it up as a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study.

The patients were allocated by chance, so the Magnesium Sulfate group and the comparison group should start out alike.

Neither the patients nor the staff measuring them knew who was on Magnesium Sulfate, so expectations could not easily colour the readings.

Some patients received a placebo instead of Magnesium Sulfate, giving a reference point.

The secondary endpoints were survival to 24 h, survival to hospital discharge, and neurological outcome.

Analysis was by intention to treat.

What Was Measured

Topics PubMed links to this paper include Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Heart Arrest, Hospitalization, Magnesium Sulfate and Survival Rate.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Magnesium Sulfate in 76 patients.

Results are reported in around 2 sentences of the abstract; we leave them to the paper itself rather than summarise them.

The publication is from 1997 (Lancet (London, England)), a journal based in England.

More context: all human trials.