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[Plasma selenium and peripartum cardiomyopathy in Bamako, Mali]
1l'Unité de Formation et de Recherche en Médecine de Brest, France. arnaud.cenac@chu-brest.fr
Insights
Selenium deficiency may contribute to peripartum heart failure in Savanna-Sahelian Africa. This study found significantly lower plasma selenium levels in Malian women with peripartum cardiomyopathy compared to healthy controls.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Nutritional Science
- Public Health
Context:
- Peripartum heart failure, often linked to unexplained dilated cardiomyopathy, is prevalent in Savanna-Sahelian Africa.
- Selenium deficiency is a suspected risk factor for this condition in the region.
- Previous studies suggested a link between selenium levels and peripartum cardiomyopathy in Niger.
Purpose:
- To quantify plasma selenium levels in Malian women diagnosed with peripartum heart failure.
- To compare these levels with those of healthy, lactating women in Niger with similar parity.
- To investigate the association between selenium status and peripartum cardiomyopathy in this population.
Summary:
- Plasma selenium was measured in 28 Malian women with peripartum heart failure and 28 healthy Nigerien women.
- The groups were matched for parity, a known risk factor for peripartum cardiomyopathy.
- Plasma selenium levels were significantly lower in the Malian patient group (65 +/- 17 ng/ml) compared to the Nigerien control group (78 +/- 17 ng/ml, p=0.01).
Impact:
- The findings reinforce the hypothesis that selenium deficiency is associated with peripartum cardiomyopathy in Savanna-Sahelian Africa.
- This study provides further evidence supporting the need to assess and potentially address selenium status in at-risk populations.
- Results may inform public health strategies and nutritional interventions aimed at preventing peripartum heart failure in the region.
Abstract:
Peripartum heart failure due to unexplained dilated cardiomyopathy is a common disorder as Savannak-Sahelian Africa. One of the many suspected risk factors identified is selenium deficiency. The purpose of this study was to measure plasma selenium levels in patients with peripartum heart failure due to cardiomyopathy in Bamako, Republic of Mali and compare data with healthy Sahalian women with the same obstetrical status. Plasma selenium was measured in a patient group consisting of 28 Malian women presenting peripartum heart failure and in a control group of 28 healthy breast-feeding Nigerien women of comparable age. The criteria for matching the two groups was parity (similar number of deliveries) since multiparity is a risk factor for peripartum cardiomyopathy. The Wilcoxon test (nonparametric) was used to compare the 2 groups considering up value < 0.05 as significant. Plasma selenium was significantly lower in patients from Mali than in controls from Niger (65 +/- 17 ng/ml vs. 78 +/- 17 ng/ml, p = 0.01). The results of this study showing lower plasma selenium in Bamako patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy than in a matching healthy control population confirms the previous data from the Niamey study.
