Age-related reference values for serum selenium concentrations in infants and children

TY - JOUR

T1 - Age-related reference values for serum selenium concentrations in infants and children

AU - Muntau, Ania C

AU - Streiter, Monika

AU - Kappler, Matthias

AU - Röschinger, Wulf

AU - Schmid, Irene

AU - Rehnert, Albert

AU - Schramel, Peter

AU - Roscher, Adelbert A

PY - 2002/3

Y1 - 2002/3

N2 - BACKGROUND: Children are at particular risk for selenium deficiency, which has potentially serious medical implications. Reliable age-specific reference values for serum selenium concentrations in children are sparse, but are essential for the identification of selenium deficiency and decisions regarding selenium supplementation.METHODS: Using electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry, we analyzed serum selenium concentrations from 1010 apparently healthy children (age range, 1 day to 18 years) and from 60 patients on a protein-restricted diet because of inborn errors of metabolism. Reference intervals were defined according to recommended guidelines.RESULTS: Medians for serum selenium concentrations showed a statistically significant age dependency: a decrease from the age <1 month (0.64 micromol/L) to 4 months (0.44 micromol/L); an increase to 0.62 micromol/L in the 4-12 months age group; constant values in children between 1 and 5 years of age (0.90 micromol/L); and an additional slight increase to reach a plateau between 5 and 18 years (0.99 micromol/L). Of 43 children older than 1 year and on a protein-restricted diet, 87% showed serum selenium concentrations below the 2.5 percentile.CONCLUSIONS: Because of nutritional changes, serum selenium concentrations are significantly higher in older children than in infants under 1 year of age. The application of age-adjusted reference values may provide more specific criteria for selenium supplementation. Long-term protein restriction in children is reflected by a failure to achieve higher serum selenium concentrations with increasing age.

AB - BACKGROUND: Children are at particular risk for selenium deficiency, which has potentially serious medical implications. Reliable age-specific reference values for serum selenium concentrations in children are sparse, but are essential for the identification of selenium deficiency and decisions regarding selenium supplementation.METHODS: Using electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry, we analyzed serum selenium concentrations from 1010 apparently healthy children (age range, 1 day to 18 years) and from 60 patients on a protein-restricted diet because of inborn errors of metabolism. Reference intervals were defined according to recommended guidelines.RESULTS: Medians for serum selenium concentrations showed a statistically significant age dependency: a decrease from the age <1 month (0.64 micromol/L) to 4 months (0.44 micromol/L); an increase to 0.62 micromol/L in the 4-12 months age group; constant values in children between 1 and 5 years of age (0.90 micromol/L); and an additional slight increase to reach a plateau between 5 and 18 years (0.99 micromol/L). Of 43 children older than 1 year and on a protein-restricted diet, 87% showed serum selenium concentrations below the 2.5 percentile.CONCLUSIONS: Because of nutritional changes, serum selenium concentrations are significantly higher in older children than in infants under 1 year of age. The application of age-adjusted reference values may provide more specific criteria for selenium supplementation. Long-term protein restriction in children is reflected by a failure to achieve higher serum selenium concentrations with increasing age.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Age Factors

KW - Child

KW - Child, Preschool

KW - Diet, Protein-Restricted

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Infant

KW - Infant, Newborn

KW - Male

KW - Reference Values

KW - Selenium/blood

KW - Sensitivity and Specificity

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 11861447

VL - 48

SP - 555

EP - 560

JO - CLIN CHEM

JF - CLIN CHEM

SN - 0009-9147

IS - 3

ER -