[Selenium deficiency and cardiomyopathy in a patient on long-term parenteral nutrition]

A 28 year-old Japanese male with Crohn's disease maintained on total parenteral nutrition for 5 consecutive years showed congestive cardiomyopathy. His symptoms (palpitation and precordial pain), arrhythmia on ECG and cardiomegaly on chest X-ray film were progressive. By intravenous selenium supplementation of 100 micrograms/day (selenite) his symptoms disappeared dramatically and plasma selenium level, erythrocyte selenium level and glutathione peroxidase activity improved to normal ranges. It is suggested that this myocardial damage was caused by selenium deficiency.