Glutathione peroxidase activity and serum selenium concentration in intrinsic asthmatic patients

Serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity and selenium concentration were compared in intrinsic asthmatic patients and non-asthmatic control subjects. Serum GSH-Px activity and selenium concentration were assessed in 46 asthmatic patients and 75 age- and sex-matched non-asthmatic subjects by spectrophotometric assay. Mean serum GSH-Px activity was lower in intrinsic asthmatic subjects (9.4 +/- 2.6 pmol NADPH oxidized/min/g of protein) than in non-asthmatic subjects (16.3 +/- 2.9 pmol NADPH oxidized/min/g of protein). Mean serum selenium was lower in intrinsic asthmatic subjects (1.15 +/- 0.23 microM) than in non-asthmatic subjects (1.98 +/- 0.27 microM). Asthmatic patients have significantly lower concentration of selenium and GSH-Px activity measured in serum.