title: Serum selenium levels in liver diseases.
abstract: A possible pathogenetic role of selenium deficiency in alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver has previously been discussed. In the present study serum selenium was analyzed in 5 groups of liver diseases. The method used for selenium determination was electrothermal atomic absorption, after thermal stabilization of selenium compounds by addition of nickel nitrate. The selenium level of a reference group of healthy Norwegian adults (n = 40) was 1.53 +/- 0.25 mumol/l. The serum concentrations of selenium in patients suffering from alcoholic cirrhosis, chronic active hepatitis and chronic persistent hepatitis were lowered to 40-80 per cent of those of the reference group. In alcoholic cirrhosis and chronic active hepatitis the decreased serum selenium concentrations were significantly correlated to decreased levels of albumin and prealbumin.
mesh_terms: D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D011228:Prealbumin / Q000032:analysis; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D011228:Prealbumin; D012709:Serum Albumin; D012643:Selenium