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Published on: June 28, 2024

Low hair selenium and plasma glutathione peroxidase in children with chronic renal failure

Erol Ortaç1, Ozan Ozkaya, Recep Saraymen

  • 1Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Ondokuz Mayis University Faculty of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey.

Pediatric Nephrology (Berlin, Germany)
|August 29, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Children with chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) undergoing dialysis have lower selenium (Se) levels and impaired antioxidant capacity. Hair Se is not a reliable indicator of plasma glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in these patients.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Clinical Nutrition
  • Pediatric Nephrology

Background:

  • Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element vital for antioxidant defense, incorporated into glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px).
  • Conflicting data exists on Se status and GSH-Px activity in uremic patients.
  • Understanding Se status in pediatric chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) is crucial for managing oxidative stress.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess hair Se levels in children with CRI and compare them with healthy controls.
  • To evaluate plasma GSH-Px activity in relation to Se status and treatment modalities (conservative, hemodialysis (HD), continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD)).
  • To investigate the correlation between hair Se, plasma GSH-Px activity, and glomerular filtration rate (GFR).

Main Methods:

  • Hair Se levels were quantified using atomic absorption spectrophotometry.
  • Plasma GSH-Px activity was measured using a commercial test kit (RANSEL).
  • Study included 93 patients (32 CRI conservative, 42 CAPD, 19 HD) and 34 healthy children.

Main Results:

  • Significantly lower hair Se levels were observed in CRI, CAPD, and HD groups compared to controls (P<0.001).
  • Plasma GSH-Px activity was also significantly reduced in CRI, CAPD, and HD groups versus controls (P<0.001).
  • Plasma GSH-Px activity correlated with GFR in CRI patients and controls, but no correlation was found between plasma GSH-Px and hair Se levels.

Conclusions:

  • Children with CRI, particularly those on CAPD and HD, exhibit diminished hair Se levels and impaired antioxidant capacity.
  • Plasma GSH-Px activity is reduced in pediatric CRI patients undergoing dialysis.
  • Hair Se levels do not reliably reflect plasma GSH-Px status or Se stores in this population.

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