Association between plasma selenium and risk of ischemic stroke: A community-based, nested, and case-control study

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Epidemiology
• Cardiovascular Disease Research
• Trace Element Metabolism

Background:

• The association between plasma selenium (Se) and stroke risk is not fully understood.
• Chinese populations often have low circulating Se levels and are at high risk for stroke.
• Further investigation into Se's role in ischemic stroke prevention within this demographic is warranted.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between plasma Se concentration and ischemic stroke risk.
• To identify potential effect modifiers in a large Chinese community-based population.

Main Methods:

• A nested case-control study utilizing data from the China H-type Hypertension Registry Study.
• Included 1,904 first ischemic stroke cases and 1,904 matched controls.
• Conditional logistic regression analysis was employed to evaluate the association between plasma Se and ischemic stroke.

Main Results:

• A significant inverse relationship was observed between plasma Se and first ischemic stroke risk (adjusted OR per SD increment: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.80–0.95).
• Participants in higher Se quartiles (Q3 and Q4) exhibited significantly lower ischemic stroke risk compared to the lowest quartile (Q1).
• Lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and homocysteine levels modified the inverse association, indicating a stronger protective effect of Se.

Conclusions:

• Plasma Se is significantly inversely associated with the risk of first ischemic stroke in a large Chinese population.
• The protective effect of plasma Se against ischemic stroke is more pronounced in individuals with lower LDL-C and homocysteine levels.
• Findings highlight the potential importance of selenium status in stroke prevention among Chinese adults, particularly those with hypertension and elevated homocysteine.