Studies on vitamin E and selenium deficiency in young pigs. I. Hematological and biochemical changes

Pigs which were deficient in vitamin E and/or selenium had the following parameters weekly determined from six to 13 weeks of age: Packed cell volume, hemoglobin concentration, red cell and white cell counts, red cell indices, reticulocyte count, serum iron, serum total iron binding capacity, myeloid: erythroid ratio, serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase and creatine phosphokinase activities and body weight. Except for the myeloid:erythroid ratio and serum creatine phosphokinase activity, these parameters were not found to be significantly affected by either vitamin E deficiency, selenium deficiency or deficiency of both. The myeloid:erythroid ratio was increased (p less than 0.01) in association with selenium deficiency, which tends to indicate decreased erythropoiesis but was not reflected in the peripheral red cell picture. Evidence of dyserythropoiesis was not found to be a significant feature in serial bone marrow aspiration biopsies of vitamin E and/or selenium deficient pigs. Even if the serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase activities were not found to be significantly affected by either vitamin E deficiency, selenium deficiency or deficiency in both as compared to replete animals, a few animals, especially in the group deficient in both vitamin E and selenium, presented quite marked transient increases of serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase activity which was interpreted to reflect the occurrence of acute episodes of hepatosis dietetica. Serum creatine phosphokinase activities were found to be increased in association with vitamin E deficiency (p less than 0.01), selenium deficiency (less than 0.05) and the interaction was also significant (p less than 0.01). It was concluded that the serum creatine phosphokinase activity increases reflect the occurrence of subclinical muscular dystrophy and that vitamin E and selenium deficiencies have marked additive effects in the induction of skeletal muscular dystrophy.