Selenium status in relation to reduced glutathione peroxidase activity in aspirin‐sensitive asthma

Abstract

Selenium status and its relationship to lowered platelet glutathione peroxidase activity was investigated in 18 subjects with aspirin (ASA)-induced asthma and in asthmatic and non-asthmatic ASA-tolerant subjects. Mean serum selenium concentration in ASA-tolerant asthmatics (1.25 microns/l; 98.5 micrograms/l) was significantly higher than that in ASA-induced asthma subjects (1.14 microns/l; 89.7 micrograms/l) and than that in healthy controls (1.15 microns/l; 91 micrograms/l). Although there was a correlation between serum selenium concentration and platelet glutathione peroxidase activity, enzyme activity was significantly lower in the ASA-induced asthma group compared to other groups even after correcting for selenium status. These results indicate that lowered platelet glutathione peroxidase activity in ASA-induced asthma is a product of both selenium availability and an unidentified syndrome-specific (possibly genetic) factor.