PLASMA SELENIUM LEVELS IN RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

The plasma selenium (Se) levels were determined in patients with rheum atoid arthritis (RA) and healthy controls. Plasma Se levels in 60 pati ents were found to be significantly lower than those in 60 normal, hea lthy controls (p <0.001). Similar significant differences were determi ned in sex-matched comparisons between patients and controls (p <0.001 ) but there was no significant difference in plasma Se levels in sex-m atched comparisons in both groups (p >0.05). Our results suggest that Se is an important factor in RA.