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

¹ Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital, Department of Clinical Chemistry and Biochemical Genetics, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, D-80337 Munich, Germany.

² AGB Bern, Quartiergasse 12, CH-3013 Bern, Switzerland.

³ GSF-National Research Center for Environment and Health, D-85758 Neuherberg, Germany.

^aAddress correspondence to this author at: Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Lindwurmstrasse 4, D-80337 Munich, Germany. Fax 49-89-5160-3343; e-mail Adelbert.Roscher{at}kk-i.med.uni-muenchen.de.

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 18 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 µmol/L) to 4 months (0.44 µmol/L); an increase to 0.62 µmol/L in the 4–12 months age group; constant values in children between 1 and 5 years of age (0.90 µmol/L); and an additional slight increase to reach a plateau between 5 and 18 years (0.99 µmol/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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