Study of the correlation of serum selenium level with Behcet's disease

Selenium, like other trace elements and antioxidant enzymes, is known as an antioxidant and immunomodulator trace element. Due to recent evidence for selenium deficiency in Behcet's syndrome, this study is to evaluate the correlation of serum selenium level with Behcet's disease (BD).

This case-control study was conducted on 46 BD patients and 46 healthy controls in a rheumatology research centre. The case and control groups were both age- and race-matched. Serum selenium level was then measured by atomic absorption spectrometry Shimadzu AA-680. Average serum levels of both groups were then compared and analyzed using t-test.

Mean serum selenium levels of patients appeared to be 66.4 ± 15.38 μg/L which was significantly lower than that in the healthy controls (86.87 ± 17.18 μg/L) (P < 0.005). Taking physician global assessment of disease activity into account, significant difference was detected between the patients with active disease (66.57 ± 15.21 μg/L) and those in the inactive state (65.83 ± .75 μg/L). Regardless of the findings mentioned above, serum selenium level was meaningfully elevated among the patients with ocular involvement (P < 0.001).

These findings demonstrated that selenium serum level among BD patients was lower than that in healthy controls, whereas among the patients with ocular involvement it was higher than those not involved.