Tissue level, distribution, and total body selenium content in healthy and diseased humans in Poland

The authors obtained tissue samples taken at autopsy from 46 healthy individuals killed in accidents and from 75 corpses of victims of various diseases to analyze selenium levels. The per-weight-unit basis of selenium levels (all expressed as ng/gm wet tissue) in tissues decreased in the following order: kidney (469) > liver > spleen > pancreas > heart > brain > lung > bone > skeletal muscle (51). The highest proportion of body selenium was found in skeletal muscles (27.5%); much less selenium was found in bones (16%) and blood (10%). In the tissues of cancer corpses, the selenium levels were much lower than levels in controls. The lowest selenium levels were found in the livers of alcoholics. Tissue selenium levels found in the study were significantly lower than levels reported in Japan, United States, Canada, and other countries. The low selenium levels in the tissues of Polish residents result from inadequate selenium levels in the soil. The authors used selenium levels in tissues to calculate the amount of selenium in humans in Poland (i.e., approximately 5.2 mg). This level was similar to levels found in New Zealand (i.e., 3.0-6.1 mg), but it was lower than the mean level found in Germany (i.e., 6.6 mg) and in the United States (i.e., 13.0-20.3 mg).

Selenium levels in kidney, liver and heart of newborns and infants

BACKGROUND

Among the tissues of humans the highest level of selenium (Se) is found in the kidney and the lowest in the muscle. The Se level in tissues is age-dependent.

AIM

To measure the Se level in kidney, liver and heart of newborns and infants who were born in different periods of pregnancy and died of various diseases.

SUBJECTS

Tissues obtained from 49 infants deceased at 1 day to 2.5 months of age. Forty-five of them were premature infants born between 23 and 36 weeks of pregnancy, four were born at term.

RESULTS

Se levels in kidney and heart (but not liver) increased gradually with the duration of pregnancy. Positive and significant correlations were found between the weeks of pregnancy and Se levels in kidney (r=0.433, P=0.023) and heart (r=0.313, P=0.030). In the total group, the mean Se levels in the kidney (185+/-64.7 ng/g wet weight) and liver (177+/-59.8 ng/g) were two times higher than those in the heart (90.5+/-33.7 ng/g). In this study, the Se levels in kidney and liver were from 2.5 to 1.2 times lower than the values found in our previous study for healthy adult victims. In the heart, the Se levels were similar in infants and adults. No significant differences were found in the mean Se levels in the various tissues in infants who died due to respiratory distress syndrome, congenital heart disease, other diseases and the group as a whole. The low levels of Se in the tissues studied by us, as compared with data from other countries, are probably due to lower Se intake by pregnant women in Poland.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates that Se level in kidney and heart, but not in liver, increases with the progress of pregnancy. The Se level in kidney and liver is two times higher compared with heart and significantly higher than in adult subjects.

Correlation between Helicobacter pylori infection and food allergy in chronic gastritis

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the intensity of gastric inflammatory changes in atopic patients infected with H. pylori, and to find out whether a long-term exposure to a sensitizing allergen intensified the acuteness of inflammatory changes. The examinations were performed on patients with atopic diathesis who suffered from dyspepsia and gastralgia. The examined group included 72 women between 16 and 57 years of age (mean age: 36.5 years) and 38 men from 16 to 60 years of age (mean age: 34.4 years). The control group included 40 patients with no traits of atopy (13 men and 27 women between 18 and 56 years old, mean age: 34.8 years) with chronic gastritis confirmed by endoscopic and histopathological tests. All patients were subjected to endoscopy of the upper alimentary tract. Biopsy specimens were taken for histopathological analyses. They were stained with eosin and hematoxylin (the H&E method), and with a modified Giemsa method. The evaluation included the presence of chronic inflammation of gastric mucosa, its activity and intensity. The presence of H. pylori colonization was determined with the use of histopathological method of staining. Significant differences were found concerning inflammation intensity in atopic patients additionally infected with H. pylori, in comparison with the group of patients with food allergy without bacterial colonization. The differences were found during the evaluation of mucosa of both the prepyloric area and body of the stomach (p < 0.001). Moreover, statistically significant differences were found in the inflammation intensity between the examined group and the control group with no symptoms of allergy. In atopic patients infected with Helicobacter pylori, a long-term exposure to food allergens increases the intensity of gastric mucosa inflammation.

[Evaluation of using Levovist in the differential diagnosis of ovarian tumors]

The research on applying Levovist was carried out in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Medical Academy in Bydgoszcz, Poland, in the years 1997-1998. Out of 118 hospitalised patients with preliminary diagnosis: tu. hypogastrii, tu. adnexorum, tu. ovarii, cystis ovari, due to the suspicious ultrasound result, and/or decreased parameters of arterial blood flow (PI < 1.0; RI < 0.6) and or presence of abdominal fluid, 32 women were included in the study. The changes in the Doppler image under the influence of Levovist and their correlation with histologic features were analysed. The time span between injection of Levovist and the enhancement of the Doppler image was not characteristic for any tumor. However, it was observed, that the mean return time i.e. from the enhancement of the Doppler signal to the initial pattern, was considerably longer in carcinomas than in other ovarian tumours. No signal enhancement was observed in benign lesions.

[Struma ovarii: rare ovarian neoplasm]

Authors of this research present 3 cases of struma ovarii diagnosed in postoperative histopathological examination in years 1994-1997. The first one was accidentally discovered during examination of a woman in menopausal period, the second was a case of 39-years old woman with hyperthyroidism and struma parenchymatoso-nodosa and the third was detected during examination of a young 21-years old woman with abdominal pain. In first two cases Doppler flowmetry revealed low RI and PI parameters (< 0.5 and < 0.7 respectively) in tumor structures.

[Clinical investigations and cytological examinations of the nose in subject exposed to cement dust]

Mucous membranes of the nose of 90 persons exposed to cement dust were investigated clinically and cytologically. We found atrophic changes in 37.8% persons and hypertrophic changes in 13.3%. In a halt of the investigated persons abnormality in epithelium forms in cytological examination was demonstrated. The connection of inflammatory changes and pathological forms of the epithelium has been documented. The correlation between presentation of cement deposits and inflammatory infiltrations and atrophic and hypertrophic changes was confirmed.

[Pulmonary hypertension during the course of liver cirrhosis--presentation of two cases]

Two patients with liver cirrhosis and clinical and autopsy features of pulmonary hypertension are presented. Others than liver's pathology secondary causes of hypertension in pulmonary circulation were not found. In both patients pulmonary hypertension had an influence on clinical course of basic disease. Taking this complication into consideration in the explanation of pathomechanisms of symptoms allowed us better to understand the clinical manifestation of liver disease in observed in our clinic cirrhotic patients.

[Assessment of the correlations of certain clinical and laboratory data with the morphological pattern of small intestine mucosa in the malabsorption syndrome in children]

In 92 children aged 3 to 24 months with suspected malabsorption syndrome the nutritional status was assessed, the results of routine diagnostic laboratory tests were analysed, and the correlation was sought between these parameters and the degree of atrophy of intestinal villi. A correlation was demonstrated between body weight deficit and the pathological result of the d-xylose test and the degree of villous atrophy only in the group of infants, and in children in the second year of life the changes of these parameters were not useful in the diagnosis of the malabsorption syndrome. The assessment of the shape of iron and glucose absorption curve shows a low usefulness nof these tests, and they should not be used in the diagnosis of the syndrome.

[The fate of children with malabsorption syndrome and "flat mucosa"]

The fates of 97 children hospitalized for malnutrition syndrome in the years 1983-1985 were assessed depending on the aetiology and treatment. In all cases the first biopsy of the small intestine demonstrated the so called flat mucosa. In recent years a continuous rise has been observed in the number of children with malabsorption syndromes, especially secondary syndromes caused, most frequently, by infectious factor and antibiotic treatment given for infections. The number of such cases was in 1985 four times greater than in 1983. A proper diagnostic-therapeutic management led to complete regeneration of intestinal villi in all cases. The further development of these children was normal.

Allergy to cockroach antigens in patients with peptic ulcers and chronic gastritis

Cockroach allergy was investigated in 10 patients with the endoscopic diagnosis of peptic ulcers and chronic gastritis, all with positive skin reactions to Blatella germanica extract. In all the cases examined, the total serum IgE level was raised, specific serum IgE detectable and both the increased number of eosinophils and IgE-bearing cells found in biopsy specimens of gastric and/or duodenal tissues. The direct provocation test of the gastric mucosa, done under fiberoscopic control, was positive in all patients, in which the immediate oedematous and haemorrhagic reaction was observed after allergen challenge. Seven patients reacted also a few minutes later with abdominal pains and/or nasal and conjunctival manifestations. The provocation with the same cockroach extracts was negative in 4 control patients with peptic ulcers but without symptoms of allergy. In the authors' opinion, cockroach antigens, like other food and inhalant allergens, may be partly responsible for the chronic inflammatory processes as well as ulcerations of gastroduodenal tissues in predisposed persons.