[An insufficiency of essential trace elements and its manifestations in pathology]

There exist 11 essential elements (iron, copper, iodine, zinc, chromium, cobalt, molybdenum, manganese, nickel, selenium and fluorine) vitally important for human health. The deficiency of these trace elements results in many pathological processes, including such world-wide human diseases, as iron-deficient anemias and other forms of hyposiderosis, endemic hypothyroid goiter, endemic fluorine deficiency states, particularly manifested by dental caries in children and osteoporosis of the advanced age. Selenium deficiency causes endemic cardiopathy in China, is a risk factor for the development and severe course of congestive cardiopathies, as well as myocardial infarction in a number of European countries. Correction of selenium deficiency with sodium selenite reduced to the minimum the mortality rate from endemic cardiopathy in China (Keshan disease) and had a favourable effect on other forms of cardiovascular pathology. Essential trace element deficiency results in many forms of embryonal and fetal pathology and decreases the antitumour resistance in man. New essential trace elements are still being identified and their number reached 19 at present. Development of pathological anatomy of essential trace element deficiency is an important task of modern medicine.