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Journal of Environmental Pathology, Toxicology and Oncology

ISSN for PRINT: 0731-8898

Institutional price:	$672.00
Issues per year:	4

Best Paper Award Selection - Editorial Board Site

2007, Volume26

82 pages

Issue price - $187.00

Status of Selenium, Vitamin E, and Vitamin A among Saudi Adults: Potential Links with Common Endemic Diseases

Iman Al-Saleh
Biological & Medical Research Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Inaam El-Doush
Biological & Medical Research Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Grisellhi Billedo
Biological & Medical Research Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, P.O. Box: 3354, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Gamal El-Din Mohamed
Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Scientific Computing Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, P.O. Box: 3354, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Gamal Yosef
Biological & Medical Research Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, P.O. Box: 3354, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

This study was designed to determine the status of selenium, dl-α-tocopherol, and all-trans-retinol in adults living in Al-Kharj district using serum and toenail samples, and to look for possible association between these parameters and the etiology of endemic diseases in the same area. For this purpose, we examined a cross section of samples of 743 healthy Saudi adults on routine visits to the Primary Health Care Unites (PHCUs) for different common health problems. The arithmetic mean for selenium, dl-α-tocopherol, and all-trans-retinol in serum and toenail selenium levels were 107.045 ± 23.045 μg/l (n = 743, range 52.600−210.120 μg/l), 1.053 ± 0.324 mg/dl (n = 737, range 0.29−3.42 mg/dl), 52.561 ± 25.671 μg/dl (n = 743, range 11.20−400.85 μg/dl), and 0.634 ± 0.221 μg/g (n = 691, range < DL − 1.797 μg/g), respectively. The average serum selenium concentration seems to be satisfactory and compares favourably with high selenium intake countries. Although none of our participants exhibited serum selenium deficiency (< 45 μg/l), 41% of our participants had toenail selenium < 0.56 μg/g reported low levels in the previous study. The mean serum dl-α-tocopherol concentrations fall within the upper limit of the normal range of > 0.698−1.981 mg/dl for α-tocopherol as found in previous studies. On the other hand, the mean serum all-trans-retinol is higher than the normal range (20−30 μg/dl). None had exhausted retinol stores <10 µg/dl. Significant negative association between all-trans-retinol and MDA levels in the serum was found as a sign of peroxidative lipid damage, confirming the role of vitamin A in reducing oxidative stress. Our data also revealed a link between the status of selenium, dl-α-tocopherol and all-trans-retinol and a number of health problems. However, these observations need larger epidemiological studies for further confirmation.