The role of selenium deficiency in dilated cardiomyopathy in Saudi Arabia

Selenium deficiency is implicated in the etiology of endemic juvenile dilated cardiomyopathy in China, and in sporadic cases in other countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of selenium deficiency in the pathophysiology of dilated cardiomyopathy in the Saudi Arabian population. Plasma and urine selenium concentrations from 72 Saudi patients with confirmed dilated cardiomyopathy were compared with corresponding values from 70 control subjects of the same national origin who had normal ventricular function. Plasma and urine selenium concentrations (mean+/-SD) were 1.347plusmn;0.45 and 0.49+/-0.37 micromol/L, respectively, for the patient group, and 1.32+/-0.41 and 0.60+/-0.41 micromol/L, respectively, for the control group. The differences in the values between the two groups were statistically insignificant. In the Saudi population, dilated cardiomyopathy is not caused by selenium deficiency.