Serum level of selenium in elderly patients with the age of above 70 years

A recent increase in number of elderly patients undergoing a variety of gastro-intestinal surgery has been observed. In the management of patients with total parenteral nutrition and /or the relation between canceration and serum selenium, it might be important to clarify patients. Fifty-two patients over 70 years of age in the two sanatoriums were subjected to measure a serum level of selenium with our modified method. As a control, the serum levels in healthy adults less than 60 years were also measured to compare with those in the elderly patients. The mean level of selenium in the elderly patients was significantly lower than that in healthy adults (7.24±1.64 versus 8.42±1.92 μg/dl). This results suggests that serum selenium in elderly patients is low out of a normal range.