Vnitr Lek 2006, 52(10):873-880

Selenium deficiency of west bohemia population

J. Kvíčala^1,*, V. Jiránek², J. Němeček¹, J. Čeřovská¹, M. Dvořáková¹, R. Bílek¹

¹ Endokrinologický ústav, Praha, ředitel doc. MUDr. Vojtěch Hainer, CSc.

² DataPro, Praha, ředitel ing. Václav Jiránek, CSc.

To estimate status and intake of selenium in inhabitants of the most Western region of the Czech Republic (Cheb region) 241 serum, 404 urine and 30 hair samples from randomly selected persons in the age between 6 and 65 years is performed. Serum and hair samples were analysed by means of instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA), while Se in urines was detected by means of fluorimetry. Urine iodine was determined in the same group by Sandell-Kolthoff method for the possibility to detect concomitant Se and I deficiency and/or correlations between these two essential trace elements necessary for metabolism of thyroid hormones. Average values of Se indexes are low (55.4 ± 13.8 μg Se/L serum; 15.4 ± 5.7 μg Se/L urine; 13.6 ± 6.0 μg Se/g creatinine; 0.268 ± 0.051 μg Se/g hair) and prove Se deficiency in the searched population. Statistical evaluation of Se in subgroups of boys, girls, men and women proved significant differences as far as age is concerned, gender differences were found only between boys and girls. Some significant and highly significant differences were found also in subgroups according age and gender (males and females in the age of 6, 10, 13, 18-35, 36-49 and 50-65 years). On the other hand, urine iodine average value (126 ± 65 μg/L) is on the lower optimum level. By the use of correlation analysis, slight but significant correlations were found between Se and I in urine and some of thyroid hormone parameters and their influence on the organism.

Keywords: serum selenium; urine selenium; hair selenium; urine iodine; selenium deficiency; thyroid hormones; thyroid volume; heart rate; body surface; significant correlations

Received: June 20, 2006; Published: October 1, 2006  Show citation