Affiliations: Immunology, Asthma & Allergy Research Institute,
Medical Sciences / University of Tehran, Tehran, I.R Iran | Laboratory of Biochemistry, Children's Medical Center,
Medical Sciences / University of Tehran, Tehran, I.R Iran | Department of Biostatistics, Tarbiat Modares
University, Tehran, I.R Iran
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Dr. Zahra Pourpak (PhD, MD),
Immunology, Asthma and Allergy Research Institute, Children's Medical Center,
No.62, Gharib St, Keshavarz Blv, Postal Code:14194. P.O. BOX: 14185-863,
Tehran, IR. Iran. Tel.: +98 21 66935855; Fax: +98 21 66428995; E-mail:
poupakz@sina.tums.ac.ir; Zpourpak@hbi.ir
Abstract: Introduction: Selenium is one of the essential trace elements which
is more notified in children in recent years. Reliable age-specific reference
values for selenium in children in Iran are not clear and are important for the
identification of selenium deficiency and some other researches that is the aim
of this study. Methods: Serum samples of 216 healthy children were analyzed
by using hydride generation and flame atomic absorption spectroscopy to
measured selenium level. Results: The mean and standard deviation of serum selenium
level in children 0–16 years old (mean: 39.83 months) was 72.14 ±
16.80 μg/l. There was significant difference in serum selenium
concentration between two sexes which was 76.78 ± 15.24 μg/l and
69.56 ± 17.09 μg/l in girls and boys respectively (P value = 0.002).
There was also a positive correlation between higher selenium serum
concentration and age in both sexes. Conclusion: Essential trace element's normal ranges are
fundamental data which could use in many studies. Serum selenium concentration
in healthy Iranian children that found in this study is very close to serum
concentration of European children. Our findings may reveal nutritional culture's similarity.
