The selenium state of children

Abstract

The selenium content of serum, whole blood and hair was measured by neutron activation analysis in dietetically treated patients with phenylketonuria (PKU) and maple-syrup-urine disease (MSUD). Follow-up studies showed a decrease of the serum selenium content and the glutathione peroxidase activity of erythrocytes—a selenoenzyme—from normal values at the beginning of the diet to 20% (selenium) and 50% (gluthione peroxidase) of normal within 10–12 weeks of dietary treatment. In 36 patients the serum selenium content was lower at 6.7–28×10^-9 g/ml, independent of the age of the patients (0.5 to 10 years). The selenium content of whole blood was reduced: median=98×10^-9 g/g dry weight; range 75 to 165×10^-9 g/g dry weight (healthy children: median=381×10^-9 g/g dry weight; range 245 to 588×10^-9 g/g dry weight). The selenium content of hair was markedly lower in the patients (median=62×10^-9 g/g; range 13–140×10^-9 g/g) than in healthy children (median=429; range 213 to 720×10^-9 g/g). The mean glutathione peroxidase activity of erythrocytes was reduced to 4.6±0.64 U₃₇/g Hb, in comparison to normal values (mean=8.8±0.88 U₃₇/gHb).