title: Selenium in rheumatic diseases.
abstract: Selenium is involved in several important biochemical pathways relevant to rheumatic diseases. Experimental and clinical studies suggest that selenium modulates the inflammatory and immune responses. Patients suffering from inflammatory rheumatic diseases often have low selenium levels, but this finding does not correlate with disease severity. Selenium supplementation needs stricter selection criteria and better ascertainment of dose to obtain a stimulatory or inhibitory effect relevant to the disease state. Prevention of marginal selenium deficiency by moderate supplementation might enhance host defense mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Physical Medicine, Saint-Pierre Hospital, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Peretz
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Nève
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Famaey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy; D005609:Free Radicals; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000503:physiopathology; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000502:physiology; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012643:Selenium / Q000502:physiology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D005609:Free Radicals; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D012643:Selenium; D010100:Oxygen