Cochrane · systematic review · CD009402
Magnesium for skeletal muscle cramps
Garrison, SR, Korownyk, CS, Kolber, MR, et al. · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2020 · Cochrane Library
SoF tableOnly the outcomes this review put in its Summary of Findings table are listed (the Cochrane Handbook caps them at about seven per comparison). Its other analyses are not shown here.
Questions
12
current version
GRADE rated
10
No studies
2
Included studies
NR
No studies 2 · 16.7%Ungraded 0 · 0%Very low 4 · 33.3%Low 2 · 16.7%Moderate 3 · 25%High 1 · 8.3%
Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.
Questions and results
Current version onlyMagnesium for idiopathic rest cramps (largely older adults)
Population: for effects on cramps, people (other than pregnant women) with muscle cramps (largely older adults); for adverse events, all populations
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Cramp frequency (percentage change from baseline at 4 weeks) | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 177 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, indirectness |
Cramp frequency (responder analysis: 25% or better reduction at 4 weeks) | RR 1.04 [0.84, 1.29] | 3 studies · 177 participants | High |
Cramp frequency (mean number of cramps per week on treatment at 4 weeks) | no estimate extracted | 5 studies · 307 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency, indirectness |
Cramp intensity (moderate or worse at 4 weeks) | RR 1.33 [0.81, 2.21] | 2 studies · 91 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, indirectness |
Cramp duration (≥ 1 minute at 4 weeks) | RR 1.83 [0.74, 4.53] | 1 study · 46 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, indirectness |
Major adverse events | RR 0.68 [0.14, 3.31] | 3 studies · 185 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, indirectness |
Minor adverse events | RR 1.51 [0.98, 2.33] | 4 studies · 254 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, indirectness |
Magnesium for pregnancy‐associated leg cramps
Population: pregnant women with leg cramps
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Cramp frequency (percentage change from baseline at 4 weeks) | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 204 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |
Cramp frequency (responder analysis: 25% or better reduction at 4 weeks) | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 204 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |
Cramp frequency (mean number of cramps per week on treatment at 4 weeks) | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 204 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |
Cramp intensity (moderate or worse at 4 weeks) | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Cramp duration (≥ 1 minute at 4 weeks) | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Comparison
Population: Nonpregnant patients with muscle cramps (largely older adults)
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Percentage change in cramp frequency from baseline at 4 weeks | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 83 participants | Moderate |
Percentage of participants with a ≥ 25% reduction in their cramp frequency at 4 weeks | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 83 participants | Moderate |
Number of cramps per week at 4 weeks | no estimate extracted | 4 studies · 213 participants | Moderate |
Percentage of participants rating their cramps as moderate or severe (i.e. mean cramp intensity ≥ 2 on the 3 point intensity scale) at 4 weeks | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 91 participants | Moderate |
Percentage of participants with the majority of cramp durations ≥ 1 minute at 4 weeks | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 46 participants | Low |
Number of participants with major adverse events | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 46 participants | Very low |
Number of participants with minor adverse events | no estimate extracted | 3 participants | Ungraded |
CI: Confidence interval; | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |