Lowered selenium (Se) status has been observed in asthma patients. An
increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) owing to inflamm
atory condition has also been found in these patients and thus antioxi
dant properties of Se via glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity are of
great importance. Concentrations of Se in plasma and erythrocytes as
well as eryth-rocyte GPx activity in 22 intrinsic asthma patients (fiv
e patients; all women were aspirin-sensitive) were compared with those
of 33 control subjects. Se concentrations in both plasma and erythroc
ytes and GPx activity were decreased in intrinsic asthma patients. The
re were no significant differences in investigated parameters of Se st
atus between aspirin-tolerant and aspirin-intolerant patients within i
ntrinsic asthma group. Significantly high positive correlation between
plasma and erythrocyte Se concentrations was found when regarding all
subjects as a whole. Se supplementation might be beneficial to patien
ts with intrinsic asthma, which may be at risk of Se deficiency.