The Content of Plasma Selenium in Early Admitted Septic Patients

Abstract

Objective: Selenium depletion has been reported in critical illness correlates with an increase in mortality and morbidity. In this study, we aimed to access the selenium plasma levels of septic patients early at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission in order to compare with reference range. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in a university affiliated hospital aiming to assess the early plasma level of selenium in ICU admitted patients. eighty patients diagnoses with sepsis were included and considered for characteristic evaluation, monitoring criteria assessment and also blood sampling. All blood sampling was performed during 48 hours of the ICU admission in order to determined the plasma Selenium level by atomic absorption method. Findings: The mean plasma levels of selenium in male and female was 98.14 +/- 23.52 and 78.1 +/- 24.46 mu/L, respectively. Although selenium plasma levels was higher in the ICU male patients significantly, both had near normal range (80 mu/L). Conclusion: In this study we found that in early admitted Iranian ICU patients in Tehran, selenium deficiency has not routinely seen but probably will happen during ICU hospitalization.