Selenium supplementation in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis

[Guest guest]

This article may be of interest to some, here.

If I get the gist, it is saying that Selenium (Brazil nuts, anyone?)

can help in autoimmune thyroiditis...

....

Sent: Sunday, December 19, 2004 11:31 AM

To: EuroLyme

Subject: [EuroLyme] Selenium supplementation in patients with autoimmune

thyroiditis decreases thyroid peroxidase antibodies concentrations.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve & db=pubmed & dopt=Abstra\

ct & list_uids=11932302

J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2002 Apr;87(4):1687-91.

*Selenium supplementation in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis

decreases thyroid peroxidase antibodies concentrations.! *

Gartner R, Gasnier BC, Dietrich JW, Krebs B, Angstwurm MW.

Department of Endocrinology, Medizinische Klinik Innenstadt,

University of Munich, D-80336 Munich, Germany.

rgartner@...

In areas with severe selenium deficiency there is a higher incidence

of thyroiditis due to a decreased activity of selenium-dependent

glutathione peroxidase activity within thyroid cells. Selenium-dependent

enzymes also have several modifying effects on the immune system.

Therefore, even mild selenium deficiency may contribute to the

development and maintenance of autoimmune thyroid diseases. We performed

a blinded, placebo-controlled, prospective study in female patients (n =

70; mean age, 47.5 +/- 0.7 yr) with autoimmune thyroiditis and thyroid

peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb) and/or Tg antibodies (TgAb) above 350

IU/ml. The primary end point of the stud! y was the change in TPOAb

concentrations. Secondary end points wer e changes in TgAb, TSH, and free

thyroid hormone levels as well as ultrasound pattern of the thyroid and

quality of life estimation. Patients were randomized into 2 age- and

antibody (TPOAb)-matched groups; 36 patients received 200 microg (2.53

micromol) sodium selenite/d, orally, for 3 months, and 34 patients

received placebo. All patients were substituted with L-T(4) to maintain

TSH within the normal range. TPOAb, TgAb, TSH, and free thyroid hormones

were determined by commercial assays. The echogenicity of the thyroid

was monitored with high resolution ultrasound. The mean TPOAb

concentration decreased significantly to 63.6% (P = 0.013) in the

selenium group vs. 88% (P = 0.95) in the placebo group. A subgroup

analysis of those patients with TPOAb greater than 1200 IU/ml revealed a

mean 40% reduction in the selenium-treated patients compared with a 10%

increase in TPOAb in the placebo group. TgAb concentrations were lower!

in the placebo group at the beginning of the study and significantly

further decreased (P = 0.018), but were unchanged in the selenium group.

Nine patients in the selenium-treated group had completely normalized

antibody concentrations, in contrast to two patients in the placebo

group (by chi(2) test, P = 0.01). Ultrasound of the thyroid showed

normalized echogenicity in these patients. The mean TSH, free T(4), and

free T(3) levels were unchanged in both groups. We conclude that

selenium substitution may improve the inflammatory activity in patients

with autoimmune thyroiditis, especially in those with high activity.

Whether this effect is specific for autoimmune thyroiditis or may also

be effective in other endocrine autoimmune diseases has yet to be

investigated.

Publication Types:

* Clinical Trial

* Ran! domized Controlled Trial

PMID: 11932302 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

The FREE full text can be read at:-

http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/full/87/4/1687