PLASMA SELENIUM IN PATIENTS WITH CIRRHOSIS

Plasma selenium concentration is decreased in patients with cirrhosis and, based on this finding, it has been suggested that patients with c irrhosis are selenium deficient. We measured plasma selenium concentra tion and the two plasma selenoproteins, glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx- 3) and selenoprotein P, in the plasma of patients with cirrhosis of Ch ild classes A, B, and C and in control subjects. Plasma selenium decli ned in proportion to the severity of the cirrhotic condition, as indic ated by the Child class. Selenoprotein P, which originates largely in the liver, declined in a similar manner. Plasma glutathione peroxidase activity increased, and GSHPx-3 originates in the kidney. Selenium in the non-selenoprotein pool, shown by others to be largely selenomethi onine in albumin, declined. Thus, although plasma selenium is decrease d in patients with cirrhosis, the increase in plasma glutathione perox idase activity, which occurs in them, suggests that patients with cirr hosis do not have selenium deficiency.