Selenium status, kwashiorkor and congestive heart failure.
Selenium deficiency is associated with congestive heart failure (CHF) in geographic areas where dietary selenium intake is low and in individuals receiving total parenteral nutrition. Among 66 children with kwashiorkor (including marasmic-kwashiorkor), those who developed CHF had lower serum selenium concentrations than those who did not (32.9 +/- 8.3 vs 41.1 +/- 11.9 microg/L, mean +/- SD, p = 0.03). This association was independent of serum albumin and selenium status was not associated with severity of symptoms, anthropometric indices or HIV infection.


CONCLUSIONS
This association raises the possibility that selenium may contribute to CHF in washiorkor.
Manar
M J
MJ
College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blanthre. manary@kids.wustl.edu
MacPherson
G D
GD
Mcardle
F
F
Jackson
M J
MJ
Hart
C A
CA
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007732:Kwashiorkor / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood* / Q000172:deficiency
D012643:Selenium