Improved Health-Related Quality of Life, and More Days out of Hospital with Supplementation with Selenium and Coenzyme Q10 Combined. Results from a Double Blind, Placebo-Controlled Prospective Study.
BACKGROUND
The impact of supplementation with selenium and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) on health-care usage and health-related quality of life (Hr-QoL) in community-dwelling elderly people has, to our knowledge, not previously been investigated.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of 48 months supplementation with CoQ10 and selenium on community-dwelling elderly as regards: (I) the number of days out of hospital, and (II) the effect on Hr-QoL.


METHODS
A 48-month double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial was carried out. A total of 443 participants were given CoQ10 and organic selenium yeast combined, or a placebo. All admissions to the Department of Internal Medicine or Cardiology were evaluated. Hr-QoL were measured with the Short Form-36 (SF-36), the Cardiac Health Profile (CHP) and one item overall-quality of life (overall-QoL).


RESULTS
A total of 206 participants were evaluated after 48 months. No changes were found in the number of days out of hospital or Hr-QoL. A sub-analysis of participants matched for age, gender and baseline cardiac wall tension as measured by NT-proBNP was performed. The mean number of days out of hospital was 1779 for those taking the active substance compared to 1533 for those taking the placebo (p=0.03). Those with active substance declined significantly less in the HR-QoL domains of physical role performance (p=0.001), vitality (p=0.001), physical component score (p=0.001), overall QoL (p=0.001), somatic dimension (p=0.001), conative dimension (p=0.001) and global function (p=0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
In a match-group analysis selenium and CoQ10 increased the number of days out of hospital and slowed the deterioration in Hr-QoL.
Peter Johansson, RN, PhD, Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Linköping, SE-581 85 Linköping, E-mail: peter.johansson@aries.vokby.se.
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Dahlström
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Alehagen
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012643:Selenium / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000975:Antioxidants; D018977:Micronutrients; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D014451:Ubiquinone; C024989:coenzyme Q10; D012643:Selenium