Experience with selenium used to recover adrenocortical function in patients taking glucocorticosteroids long

• Main Authors: Iu G Voĭtsekhovskaia, G A Orlikov, N Voskresenskaia, L M Umnova, I V Ivanov, P Gredzena, Iu G Karpov, Ia Ianovskaia, V V Voĭtsekhovskiĭ, É Maulin'sh
• Format: Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: "Consilium Medicum" Publishing house 2013-10-01
• Series: Терапевтический архив
• Subjects: adrenal insufficiency; glucocorticosteroids; selenium; antioxidants
• Online Access: https://ter-arkhiv.ru/0040-3660/article/view/31361

AIM: To study the effect of selenium on adrenocortical function in patients taking glucocorticosteroids (GCS) long/MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 56 patients who had been long taking oral GCS for the underlying disease. Adrenocortical function was evaluated by a short synacthen test; adrenal insufficiency (mean cortisol level 8.2 µg/dl) was identified in 52 patients. A study group of patients (n=35) was given selenium 200 µg/day. A control group (n=17) with the detected adrenal insufficiency did not take it. All the patients (n=52) continued to receive standard therapy for the underlying disease, including oral GCS/RESULTS: Adrenal function was reexamined 6 months later; the two paired-samples t-test indicated a statistically significant increase in cortisol levels up to 23.20±4.2 µg/dl (p≤0.05) in the patient group receiving selenium in addition to the basic therapy. In the control group, the function did not recover (cortisol levels were 8.6 and 9.8 µg/dl at baseline and at 6 months, respectively; p≤0.05)/CONCLUSION: The experience with selenium 200 µg/day given long to patients with adrenal insufficiency caused by the long-term use of GCS shows that the agent is effective in recovering adrenocortical function.