EFFECT OF DOUBLE-BLIND CROSS-OVER SELENIUM SUPPLEMENTATION ON LIPID-PEROXIDATION MARKERS IN CYSTIC-FIBROSIS PATIENTS

Lipid peroxidation was assessed in 27 cystic fibrosis children during a double-blind selenium supplementation study (2.8 mu g of sodium sele nite per kg per day) with a placebo control and inversion of treatment periods. Simultaneously, 17 healthy children living in the same area were also investigated as control subjects. Before any treatment whats oever and despite a selenium status close to those of control subjects , cystic fibrosis patients showed significant increase in plasma lipid peroxidation markers. Thiobarbituric acid reactants (TBARs) were norm alized after the first treatment period of 5 months in both cystic fib rosis groups receiving either selenium supplementation or placebo. In this latter group, TBARs were reduced despite a significant decrease i n plasma selenium concentrations as compared with the control group. O rganic hydroperoxide concentrations were also simultaneously normalize d in both cystic fibrosis groups at the end of the second treatment pe riod. These results showed that improvement of lipid peroxidation mark ers was not related to the selenium supplementation. Nevertheless, oxi dative stress sustained by cystic fibrosis children must be taken into account so that it does not aggravate the prognosis of the disease.