Lack of Association between Selenium Status and Disease Severity and Activity in Patients with Graves' Ophthalmopathy.
BACKGROUND
Selenium (Se) is of importance for regular functioning of the immune system and thyroid gland, and may have a health effect in mild Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO).


OBJECTIVE
As the Se status declines in inflammation, we analyzed whether GO activity or severity affects the Se status of patients.


METHODS
Serum Se and selenoprotein P (SePP) concentrations were retrospectively determined in 84 consecutive GO patients before treatment and compared to their clinical activity score (CAS) and severity of eye changes (NOSPECS) status, and to the concentrations of autoantibodies targeting the TSH receptor (TRAK) or the IGF1 receptor (IGF1R-aAB).


RESULTS
Serum Se and SePP were linearly associated, indicating a suboptimal Se status of our patients. In comparison to data from other European cohorts, the majority of GO patients had a relatively poor Se status ([Se] ± SD; 70.0 ± 23.8 µg/l), below the threshold needed for full expression of selenoproteins. TRAK were inversely associated with Se concentrations, while IGF1R-aAB titers were not associated with Se. Neither Se nor SePP concentrations differed between GO patients with severe versus mild or active versus inactive disease, or showed significant associations with the CAS or NOSPECS values.


CONCLUSIONS
GO patients are at risk of a low Se status, yet disease severity or activity does not seem to affect Se or SePP concentrations directly. However, as the retrospective nature of the analysis does not allow conclusions on a potential causative role of Se on Graves' disease or GO risk, these results neither support nor discourage adjuvant Se supplementation attempts.
Institute for Experimental Endocrinology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
Nora
N
Dehina
Institute for Experimental Endocrinology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Peter Josef
PJ
Hofmann
Institute for Experimental Endocrinology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Thomas
T
Behrends
Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
Anja
A
Eckstein
Institute for Experimental Endocrinology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Lutz
L
Schomburg
Autoimmunity; Exophthalmos; Graves’ disease; Selenoprotein P; Thyroid