title: Studies on the relations of selenium and Keshan disease.
abstract: Keshan disease is an endemic cardiomyopathy of unknown cause in The People's Republic of China that occurs most frequently in children under 15 years of age and women of child-bearing age. Studies of children 1-9 years old in Mianing County of Sichuan Province have indicated that Keshan disease is a selenium responsive condition. Incidence rates of 9.5-13.5/1000 in 1974-1975 were reduced to 1-2/1000 in children treated with a tablet weekly of 0.5-1 mg sodium selenite. During 1974-1977, only 21 cases of the disease occurred in 36,603 treated children, compared with 106 cases in 9430 untreated children, of whom 53 died and 5 still have insufficient heart function. Occurrence of the disease was invariably associated with a lower selenium content of cereals, and of hair (less than 0.12 ppm Se) in residents from affected, compared with non-affected, areas. The dose relationship between selenium and regional characteristics of Keshan disease suggests that it is probably a biogeochemical disease; other etiological factors have also been considered.
authors.affiliation: Keshan Disease Research Group, Institute of Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, The People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ge