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. 2013 Oct 21;13:195. doi: 10.1186/1471-2393-13-195

Table 6.

Adverse effect estimates from comparative studies with concurrent controls

Adverse effect Mean (%) or effect Median (%) Range (%) Women Studies
Death
 0.14
 0.00
 0 to 0.41
 285
 Adewole 2000* [53]; Ekele 2005* [54]; Pritchard 1984* [55]
Cardiac arrest
 0.00
 0.00
 NA
 21
 Adewole 2000* [53]
Respiratory arrest
 0.41
 0.42
 0 to 0.82
 983
 Adewole 2000* [53]; Pritchard 1984* [55]; Raman 1995* [56]
Discontinuation due to adverse effects
 9.53
 9.52
 1.75 to 20.78
 532
 Adewole 2000* [53]; Elliot 1983^ [57]; Girard 2005* [58]; Harding 1997* [59]; Thapa 2008* [60]
Given calcium gluconate
 0.70
 0.70
 NA
 717
 Raman 1995* [56]
'Toxicity’
 3.17
 2.04
 0.0 to 8.60
 182
 Dasari 2010* [61]; Donovan 1980* [62]; Mojadidi 1969* [63]; Tukur 2010* [64]
Need to adjust/skip dose due to adverse effects
 15.26
 15.26
 5.26 to 25.26
 114
 Ekele 2005* [54]; Getaneh 2010*^ [65]
Respiratory depression
 1.67
 0.72
 0 to 4.76
 1363
 Adewole 2000* [53]; Ahmed 2004* [66]; Begum 2001* [67]; Digre 1990^ [68]; Ekele 2005* [54]; Hales 1995^ [69]; Harding 1997* [59]; Mojadidi 1969* [63]; Pritchard 1984* [55]; Raman 1995* [56]; Sass 2007* [70]
Absent or reduced deep tendon reflexes
 4.75
 2.55
 0 to 18.05
 1789
 Aali 2007* [52]; Begum 2001* [67]; Digre 1990^ [68]; Donovan 1980* [62]; Ekele 2005* [54]; Hales 1995^ [69]; Omu 2008* [71]; Pritchard 1984* [55]; Raman 1995* [56]; Sass 2007* [70]
Any adverse effects
 13.39
 14.29
 6.76 to 19.11
 826
 Adewole 2000* [53]; Elliot 1983^ [57]; Omu 2008* [71]
'Minor side effects’
 1.75
 1.75
 NA
 57
 Girard 2005* [58]
Hypotension
 30.56
 30.56
 NA
 72
 Hales 1995^ [69]
Flushing or warmth
 52.88
 52.88
 4.55 to 100
 27
 Cotton 1984* [72]; Harding 1997* [59]
Nausea and/or vomiting
 47.37
 38.46
 3.66 to 100
 373
 Cotton 1984* [72]; Digre 1990^ [68]; Elliot 1983^ [57]
Generalised weakness
 23.08
 23.08
 NA
 13
 Digre 1990^ [68]
Drowsiness or confusion
 2.58
 2.90
 0.28 to 4.55
 515
 Elliot 1983^ [57]; Harding 1997* [59]; Sass 2007* [70]
Headache
 2.90
 0.72
 0.28 to 7.69
 506
 Digre 1990^ [68]; Elliot 1983^ [57]; Sass 2007* [70]
Blurred vision
 46.30
 46.30
 0.28 to 92.31
 368
 Digre 1990^ [68]; Elliot 1983^ [57]
Diplopia
 30.77
 30.77
 NA
 13
 Digre 1990^ [68]
Photophobia
 30.77
 30.77
 NA
 13
 Digre 1990^ [68]
Visual signs
 76.92
 76.92
 NA
 13
 Digre 1990^ [68]
Abnormal visual acuity
 38.46
 38.46
 NA
 13
 Digre 1990^ [68]
Impaired concentration-confusion
 23.08
 23.08
 NA
 13
 Digre 1990^ [68]
Cardiac arrhythmias
 23.08
 23.08
 NA
 13
 Digre 1990^ [68]
Chest pain (and/or need for ECG)
 3.90
 3.90
 0.85 to 6.94
 427
 Elliot 1983^ [57]; Hales 1995^ [69]
Chest tightness
 0.28
 0.28
 NA
 355
 Elliot 1983^ [57]
Delayed recovery from anaesthesia
 0.14
 0.14
 NA
 717
 Raman 1995* [56]
Pulmonary oedema
 1.25
 1.25
 1.13 to 1.36
 649
 Elliot 1983^ [57]; Yeast 1993*^ [73]
Caesarean
 49.68
 56.52
 32.53 to 60.00
 225
 Aali 2007* [52]; Getaneh 2010*^ [65]; Pritchard 1984* [55]
Caesarean due to labour induction
 48.91
 51.85
 33.33 to 61.54
 109
 Aali 2007* [52]; Getaneh 2010*^ [65]; Pritchard 1984* [55]
'Transient nausea, vomiting, headache, flushing and palpitations’
 NA
 NA
 NA
 15
 Jirapinyo 1990^ [74]
'Magnesium toxicity suspected’
 2/49 deaths due to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were attributed to magnesium
 Dasari 2010* [61]
Hospital errors in obstetric patients
 146 hospital errors in obstetric patients (3rd most common obstetric drug resulting in patient harm)
 Kfuri 2008 ~ [75]
 
 10 class 2 errors (need for additional treatment/ hospitalisation)
 Little 2001 ~ [76]
'Restrictive type of respiratory depression’
 Sig ↓ in FVC (L)
 18
 Bilgin 1994* [77]
Decrease in respiratory function – 'generalised respiratory muscle weakness’
 Sig ↓ MIP (cm H2O), MEP (cm H2O), FEV1 (L)
 10
 Herpolsheimer 1991* [78]
'Reduced attention and rapid information processing ability’
 Sig ↓ in SSS, PASAT, VAF, DSF scores
 15
 Ghia 2000^ [79]
Increase in bleeding time ('clinical significance remains to be determined’)
 Sig ↑
 104
 Fuentes 1995*^ [80], Guzin 2010* [81], Yazdani 2004^ [82]
  NS ↑ 40 Moghadas 2007^ [83]

Values are presented as mean and median percentage estimates from case series, with the range of percentages reported.

*Women received MgSO4 for pre-eclampsia/eclampsia; ^women received MgSO4 as a tocolytic agent; ~unknown indication for use.

Abbreviations: AE adverse effect(s), DSF Digits Span Forward (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale), FVC forced vital capacity, FEV1 forced expiratory volume at 1 second, L litres, MIP maximal inspiratory pressure, MEP maximal expiratory pressure, NS not significant, PASAT Paced Auditory Serial Addition Tes, Sig significant, SSS Stanford Sleepiness Scale, VAF Verbal Associative Fluency Test, ↑: increase, ↓: reduction.