Serum selenium in liver cirrhosis: correlation with markers of fibrosis.
In 55 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and in 47 healthy individuals we assayed the concentration of selenium in serum (S-Se) by proton induced X-ray emission, the aminoterminal peptide of type III procollagen (NPIIIP) by RIA and the plasma fibronectin (FN) by immuno-nephelometry, together with routine biochemical tests. S-Se was lower in cirrhosis than in controls (0.57, SD 0.20 vs 0.92, SD 0.16 mumol/l; p less than 0.001) and was more reduced in ascitic than in compensated patients (0.50, SD 0.19 vs 0.66, SD 0.17 mumol/l; p less than 0.001). Regression analysis showed a positive correlation of S-Se with serum albumin and FN, whereas necrotic or inflammatory activity seems unrelated to S-Se; a negative correlation was found between S-Se and NPIIIP, suggesting a protective role of selenium against fibrosis.
Casaril
M
M
Istituto di Patologia Medica, University of Verona, Italy.
Stanzial
A M
AM
Gabrielli
G B
GB
Capra
F
F
Zenari
L
L
Galassini
S
S
Moschini
G
G
Liu
N Q
NQ
Corrocher
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood*
D015415:Biomarkers; D012643:Selenium