Serum and urinary selenium levels in thermal injury

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Clinical Nutrition
• Burn Medicine

Background:

• Limited data exists on selenium status in patients with thermal injuries.
• Selenium is a vital trace element involved in antioxidant defense and immune function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess selenium status in patients with thermal burns.
• To investigate the relationship between serum selenium concentration and urinary selenium excretion.
• To explore potential factors influencing selenium levels in burn patients.

Main Methods:

• Evaluated serum selenium concentration and 24-hour urinary selenium excretion in 23 patients with thermal burns.
• Monitored selenium levels throughout the patients' hospital course.
• Compared patient selenium levels to normal ranges.

Main Results:

• Serum selenium levels were depressed in the majority of patients during hospitalization.
• Only two patients achieved normal serum selenium levels by discharge.
• Urinary selenium excretion remained within normal ranges, indicating it was not the primary cause of low serum levels.

Conclusions:

• Thermal injury leads to prolonged depression of serum selenium levels.
• Urinary losses do not account for the observed decrease in serum selenium.
• An antagonistic interaction between selenium and silver warrants further investigation in burn patients.