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Muntau, A.C.* ; Streiter, M.* ; Kappler, M.* ; Röschinger, W.* ; Schmid, I.* ; Rehnert, A.* ; Schramel, P. ; Roscher, A.A.*

Age-related Reference Values for Serum Selenium Concentrations in Infants and Children.

Clin. Chem. 48, 555-560 (2002)
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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 IS 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 mumol/L) to 4 months (0.44 mumol/L); an increase to 0.62 mumol/L in the 4-12 months age group; constant values in children between I and 5 years of age (0.90 mumol/L); and an additional slight increase to reach a plateau between 5 and IS years (0.99 mumol/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.
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Publication type Article: Journal article
Document type Scientific Article
Corresponding Author
Keywords Children; selenium deficiency; age-specific reference values; electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry
ISSN (print) / ISBN 0009-9147
e-ISSN 1530-8561
Journal Clinical Chemistry
Quellenangaben Volume: 48, Issue: , Pages: 555-560 Article Number: , Supplement: ,
Publisher American Association for Clinical Chemistry
Non-patent literature Publications
Reviewing status Peer reviewed
Institute(s) Institute of Ecological Chemistry (IOEC)