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Plasma selenium levels in gastroenterological surgical patients of Buenos Aires
Author(s) -
Zago Liliana,
González Infantino Carlos,
Danguise Eduardo,
Callegari Mariana,
Piñeiro Adriana,
Río María Esther
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.23.1_supplement.728.4
Subject(s) - selenium , gastroenterology , micronutrient , medicine , oxidative stress , selenium deficiency , antioxidant , surgery , chemistry , pathology , biochemistry , glutathione peroxidase , catalase , organic chemistry
Selenium, an essential micronutrient involved in the antioxidant defense, has a relevant importance in the surgical patient because its situation of high oxidative stress. Information of nutritional status in Argentina is very scarce, particulary in surgical patients. In this study selenium measurements were performed in plasma samples from 42 adult patients before programmed gastroenterological surgeries by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Mean±SD of the whole group was 49.7±18.8, with a range between 16.3 and 107.6 μg/L. According with the reference range of 89‐114 μg/L, only 1 patient had an acceptable value and 21 patients (50%) had values below 55 μg/L, related to a higher rate of mortality by other authors. Levels were affected by inflammation: 57.6±19.5 in patients with PCR <0.5 mg/dl (n=20), 46±15.9 when PCR 0.5‐1.0 (n=12) and 38.5±14.7 μg/L when PCR >1.0 mg/dl (n=10) (P=0.0197, ANOVA test). Complications appeared in 17 patients; no association between plasma levels and complications was founded (50.6±16.1 vs 49.2±20.8 μg/L in complicated and uncomplicated patients, respectively) .Plasma concentrations of selenium have been considered the most sensitive index of short‐term changes in selenium status. The low values founded in this study alert about possible consequences of deficiency, but since half of the group had inflammation, a long‐term selenium status marker, as erythrocyte selenium, would be of value to define the real magnitude of deficiency. Supported by UBACyT B090.