Serum Concentration of Selenium and GPX Enzyme Activity in Iranian Children with Asthma

Background: Asthma is a disease with chronic airway inflammation, whereby the airway hyper-reactivity increases. Oxidative stress balance plays a critical role in asthma. Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate serum glutathione peroxidase (GPX) enzyme activity and selenium levels in patients with asthma. Methods: This case-control study was conducted on 64 children aged 1 - 5 years, 32 subjects as controls, and 32 subjects with asthma who were selected randomly. The serum GPX activity and selenium levels of the studied subjects were determined spectrophotometrically. Results: The present study showed that serum GPX activity and Selenium (Se) levels of patients with asthma were significantly lower than those of controls (P < 0.001, P < 0.05, respectively). Conclusions: Reduction of serum GPX activity and Se concentration in patients could have a potential role in the pathogenesis and modulation of asthma. Micronutrient supplementation of Se may be beneficial in asthma.