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Selenium and glutathione peroxidase status in paediatric health and gastrointestinal disease
A G Thomas1, V Miller, A Shenkin
1Department of Gastroenterology, Booth Hall Children's Hospital, Manchester, England.
Insights
Pediatric gastrointestinal diseases impact selenium levels and glutathione peroxidase activity. Monitoring and supplementation are crucial for children with severe malnutrition or on prolonged nutritional support.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Selenium is an essential trace element crucial for antioxidant defense via glutathione peroxidase (GPx).
- Paediatric gastrointestinal (GI) diseases can significantly affect nutrient absorption and utilization.
- Altered selenium status may impact disease progression and treatment outcomes in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of various paediatric GI diseases on plasma selenium concentrations.
- To assess glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in plasma and red blood cells in these children.
- To correlate selenium status with disease characteristics and treatment modalities.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study comparing children with Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis, intractable diarrhea, and biliary atresia to healthy controls.
- Measurement of plasma selenium concentrations.
- Assay of plasma and red blood cell glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity.
Main Results:
- Children with Crohn's disease showed altered GPx activity (increased in plasma, decreased in red cells) despite normal plasma selenium.
- Severe malnutrition in biliary atresia and intractable diarrhea was associated with very low plasma selenium.
- Cystic fibrosis patients had normal plasma selenium levels.
- Steroid treatment increased selenium and GPx activity, while a selenium-deficient diet decreased them.
Conclusions:
- Paediatric GI diseases significantly affect selenium status and GPx activity, varying by condition.
- Severe malnutrition in paediatric GI disorders necessitates monitoring of selenium levels.
- Supplementation is recommended for children with severe selenium depletion and those requiring prolonged nutritional support.
Abstract:
To examine the effect of paediatric GI disease on selenium concentration in plasma and glutathione peroxidase activity in plasma and red cells, results in children with Crohn's disease (n = 39), cystic fibrosis (n = 14), intractable diarrhoea (n = 13), and biliary atresia (n = 10) were compared with those from 86 healthy children undergoing routine operations. In Crohn's disease, plasma selenium concentrations were rarely low, but glutathione peroxidase activity was increased in the plasma and reduced in the red cells. Selenium concentration and glutathione peroxidase activity increased with steroid treatment but decreased with a selenium-deficient elemental diet. Plasma selenium concentration was normal in children with cystic fibrosis but very low in severely malnourished children with biliary atresia and intractable diarrhoea. Selenium concentration and glutathione peroxidase activity should be monitored in children with severe malnutrition or requiring prolonged nutritional support. Supplementation is recommended in cases of severe selenium depletion.