Serum selenium is low in newly diagnosed Graves' disease: a population-based study

Summary Context Selenium deficiency may play an important role in the initiation and progression of autoimmune thyroid disease. Objective To compare serum selenium (s‐Se) values in patients with newly diagnosed autoimmune thyroid disease and controls from the Danish population. Design and settings S‐Se was measured in triplicate by a fluorimetric method. Participants Patients with newly diagnosed Graves’ disease (GD) (n = 97) or autoimmune overt hypothyroidism (AIH) (n = 96), euthyroid subjects with high serum levels of thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO‐Ab) (TPO‐Ab > 1500 U/ml, n = 92) and random controls (n = 830). Main outcome measure Differences in s‐Se values. Results S‐Se was lower in patients with GD than in controls (mean (SD), GD: 89·9 μg/l (18·4); controls: 98·8 μg/l (19·7), P