Selenium status, kwashiorkor and congestive heart failure

Abstract

UNLABELLED: Selenium deficiency is associated with congestive heart failure (CHF) in geographic areas where dietary selenium intake is low and in individuals receiving total parenteral nutrition. Among 66 children with kwashiorkor (including marasmic-kwashiorkor), those who developed CHF had lower serum selenium concentrations than those who did not (32.9 +/- 8.3 vs 41.1 +/- 11.9 microg/L, mean +/- SD, p = 0.03). This association was independent of serum albumin and selenium status was not associated with severity of symptoms, anthropometric indices or HIV infection. CONCLUSION: This association raises the possibility that selenium may contribute to CHF in washiorkor.