Casaril M, Stanzial AM, Gabrielli GB, Capra F, Zenari L, Galassini S, Moschini G, Liu NQ, Corrocher R.

Istituto di Patologia Medica, University of Verona, Italy.

In 55 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and in 47 healthy individuals we assayed the concentration of selenium in serum (S-Se) by proton induced X-ray emission, the aminoterminal peptide of type III procollagen (NPIIIP) by RIA and the plasma fibronectin (FN) by immuno-nephelometry, together with routine biochemical tests. S-Se was lower in cirrhosis than in controls (0.57, SD 0.20 vs 0.92, SD 0.16 mumol/l; p less than 0.001) and was more reduced in ascitic than in compensated patients (0.50, SD 0.19 vs 0.66, SD 0.17 mumol/l; p less than 0.001). Regression analysis showed a positive correlation of S-Se with serum albumin and FN, whereas necrotic or inflammatory activity seems unrelated to S-Se; a negative correlation was found between S-Se and NPIIIP, suggesting a protective role of selenium against fibrosis.

PMID: 2776352