Severe Motor And Intellectual Disabilities Patients Research Articles

Clinical Usefulness of Blenderized Food for Selenium Deficiency in Pediatric Patients with Severe Motor and Intellectual Disabilities

Introduction: This study aimed to assess the preventive or therapeutic effects of blenderized food (BF) on selenium deficiency in pediatric patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID). Methods: The medical records of all 40 consecutive pediatric patients with SMID who underwent nutritional assessment were retrospectively reviewed and compared between two groups: the enteral formula (EF) group and the BF group fed with BF providing more than 10% of total caloric intake. Next, for the selenium-deficient patients who were newly started on blenderized tube feeds after the first nutritional assessment, improvement of selenium deficiency and change of dietary contents were assessed. Results: The BF group patients had a significantly lower prevalence of selenium deficiency and higher serum selenium levels than the EF group patients. In all 7 selenium-deficient patients who started blenderized tube feeds after the first nutritional assessment, serum selenium levels were significantly increased at the second nutritional assessment, even though total selenium intake, selenium intake by EF, and total caloric intake did not differ significantly, and, in fact, caloric intake was significantly decreased by EF. Conclusion: Combined feeding of BFs can be useful for prevention and therapy of selenium deficiency in pediatric SMID patients.

Tumor Screening, Incidence, and Treatment for Patients with Severe Motor and Intellectual Disabilities.

The increasing age of patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) has become a serious concern. Few studies have investigated tumor treatment in this population. Tumor treatments for 12 SMID patients were examined. Blood tests and ultrasonography were useful for screening. With regard to treatment, surgery for SMID patients was performed in the same manner as for patients without SMID, and the results were generally satisfactory, without major complications. Typically, cancer was diagnosed at an advanced stage, and many metachronous double cancers were observed. Treatment yielded satisfactory results for patients with SMID and their families. Future studies should examine the clinical significance of screening and tumor operative method for patients with SMID.

Systemic corticosteroid as an adjunctive treatment for lower respiratory tract infection in children with severe motor and intellectual disabilities

IntroductionChildren with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) are susceptible to severe lower respiratory tract infection (LTRI). As SMID patients are prone to develop recurrent wheezing and are often diagnosed with bronchial asthma, they frequently receive systemic corticosteroids as an adjunctive treatment for LRTIs. However, the efficacy of corticosteroid therapy for LTRIs in SMID children is unclear. We investigated whether or not corticosteroid therapy was associated with better clinical outcomes for SMID children with LRTIs. MethodsOur retrospective study enrolled 217 SMID children 1–15 years old hospitalized for LTRIs. We compared the clinical characteristics and outcomes between patients with and without corticosteroid therapy. ResultsOf the 217 patients, 29 (13.3%) received corticosteroid therapy. The proportion of patients with a history of bronchial asthma was higher and LRTI was more severe in patients with corticosteroid therapy than in those without the therapy. The length of hospital stay (LOHS) was significantly longer in patients with corticosteroid therapy (median 13 days) than in those without corticosteroid therapy (median 9 days) (P = 0.02). The same tendency was shown for the LOHS in patients with severe or moderate LRTI, although not to a significant extent. ConclusionSystemic corticosteroid therapy was not associated with better clinical outcomes in SMID children with LRTIs, even if the patients suffer from severe LRTIs. Corticosteroids should be used cautiously for LRTIs in SMID children because bronchial asthma is likely to be overdiagnosed in these children.

Vitamins K and D deficiency in severe motor and intellectually disabled patients

ObjectivesWe aimed to determine serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC) levels in severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) patients and their association with bone turnover biomarkers. MethodsWe assessed vitamin D and K levels as indicators of osteoporosis in institutionalized adults with SMID. From December 2019 to February 2020, 93 institutionalized patients (48 men, 45 women; median age, 49 years) underwent annual routine examinations. Serum ucOC, 25(OH)D, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase A 5b (TRACP-5b) levels as bone formation and resorption markers and calcium and phosphorous levels were measured. Vitamin K deficiency was indirectly assessed based on ucOC levels. ResultsMean ucOC levels were higher than normal (i.e., vitamin K deficiency). Serum 25(OH)D levels were markedly diminished. Overall, 86% of patients had deficient 25(OH)D levels. These 25(OH)D-deficient patients had higher ucOC levels. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed an inverse correlation between 25(OH)D and ucOC levels. ucOC levels were significantly higher and 25(OH)D levels were significantly lower in tube feeding. TRACP-5b levels were significantly higher in elderly than in young women. BAP and TRACP-5b levels were normal in adults. No relationship existed between vitamin D and antiepileptic drug use. ConclusionsVitamin K and D co-deficiency was common in SMID patients. Vitamin K and D deficiencies were worse in tube-fed patients than in oral intake patients. SMID patients should undergo regular monitoring of vitamin D and K levels and supplementation of these vitamins.

Deep Vein Thrombosis in Severe Motor and Intellectual Disabilities Patients and Its Treatment by Anticoagulants of Warfarin Versus Edoxaban.

Objective: Patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) often develop complications, including paralysis of the extremities due to abnormal muscular tonicity. Furthermore, the incidence of sudden death, which may be caused by pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE), is approximately 4.2%. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is attracting attention as an embolic source. In this study, DVT was confirmed in SMID patients by lower extremity venous ultrasound. The oral anticoagulant, warfarin, and novel oral anticoagulant, edoxaban tosilate hydrate, were administered, and their efficacies and safeties were evaluated.Materials and Methods: DVT patients were randomly allocated to warfarin and edoxaban groups. The frequency of hemorrhagic events and incidence of adverse events were investigated to evaluate efficacy and safety.Results: DVT was detected in 14 (8.4%) out of 167 patients. Four (0.067/person-month) hemorrhagic events occurred in the warfarin group from subcutaneous hemorrhage due to bruises caused by postural changes. Three (0.042/person-month) events occurred in the edoxaban group due to nasal hemorrhage caused by tracheal aspiration. There was no significant difference (p=0.5383) between groups.Conclusion: No significant differences were observed in hemorrhagic events between SMID patients with DVT treated with warfarin and edoxaban.

Resting energy expenditure prediction using bioelectrical impedance analysis in patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities

IntroductionResting energy expenditure (REE) is expected to be lower in with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) patients than in healthy subjects because of their relatively low fat-free mass (FFM). Therefore, an REE predictive equation for SMID patients may be required. The aim of this study was to validate existing REE predictive weight-based equations (Harris-Benedict, WHO, Mifflin, Owen, Schofield) and FFM-based REE equations (Mifflin, Owen and Cunningham) and to develop a new SMID patient-specific FFM-based REE equation. MethodsTwenty-eight (22 males, 6 females) SMID patients over 18 years of age were included. The REE was measured using indirect calorimetry. FFM were measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis. A multiple linear regression analysis was used to develop a new FFM-based REE predictive equation. The accurate predictions compared the measured REE and root mean square error. ResultsThe median measured REE was 950 (25th,75th percentile:712.75, 1102.75) kcal/day. The new FFM-based equation was as follows: REE (kcal/day) = 550.62 + 16.62 FFM (kg). The new FFM-based REE resulted in the highest percentage of accurate predictions within 10% of measured REE (42.9%). The root mean square errors were the smallest for the new FFM-based REE and largest for Harris-Benedict (91.00 and 185.22 kcal/day). ConclusionFor SMID patients, the REE cannot accurately be predicted using the existing weight-based REE equations. Furthermore, the existing FFM-based REE equations are less accurate with regard to the measured REE than the new FFM-based REE equation. The new FFM-based equation is advised for use in SMID patients.

Implementation of the World Health Organization Multimodal Hand Hygiene Improvement Strategy in SMID (Severe Motor and Intellectual Disabilities) Patients' Wards in Japan

Implementation of the World Health Organization Multimodal Hand Hygiene Improvement Strategy in SMID (Severe Motor and Intellectual Disabilities) Patients' Wards in Japan

Impact of Oxidative Stress and Newer Antiepileptic Drugs on the Albumin and Cortisol Value in Severe Motor and Intellectual Disabilities With Epilepsy.

BackgroundEpilepsy is a common complication in patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID). There are no reports as yet of the effects of these medications in vivo other than their epileptic efficacy. The purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of the newer antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) on the blood biochemical parameters and oxidative stress in SMID with epilepsy by comparing the therapeutic effects between a group of patients receiving lamotrigine (LTG) and levetiracetam (LEV) in addition to the conventional AEDs (newer AED group) and a group receiving conventional AEDs alone (old AED group).MethodsThe study population consisted of 44 SMID patients with epilepsy, of which 23 were allocated to the newer AED group and 21 were allocated to the old AED group. In the newer AED group, measurements of the reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs), biological antioxidant potential (BAP) and serum albumin were carried out at the following two time points: 1 week before and 1 year after the start of administration of the newer AEDs. In the old AED group, measurements of the same variables were performed at two time points 1 year apart.ResultsA significant decrease of the d-ROM levels and a significant increase of the BAP were noted in the newer AED group. A significant elevation of the serum albumin was also evident. In the old AED group, a significant increase of the d-ROMs levels was noted at the second measurement. Cortisol levels which have been described to be related to the albumin, revealed a significant decrease of the serum cortisol in relation to elevation of serum albumin in the newer AED group.ConclusionsThe present study results suggest that the addition of newer AEDs reduces the oxidative stress load and improves the antioxidant potential of the body. Furthermore, the present data also demonstrate that the newer AEDs have indirect impact on biological parameters.

The characteristics of salivary pepsin in patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities

PurposeThe aim of the present study was to determine the utility of measuring the salivary pepsin level (SPL) as an objective assessment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) patients. Subjects and methodsThis prospective study included 26 SMID patients who underwent simultaneous 24-h multichannel intraluminal impedance pH measurement (pH/MII) and SPL evaluation. The enrolled patients were divided into GERD (+) or GERD (−) groups according to the pH/MII findings. The age, gender and pH/MII parameters were compared between the two groups. A correlation analysis was also conducted for the SPL following early-morning fasting and post-enteral feeding and the age, gender, presence of gastrostomy and tracheostomy and pH/MII parameters. The SPL was compared between the two sampling groups. ResultsFifteen patients were classified as GERD (+), and 11 patients were classified as GERD (−). The mean SPL following early-morning fasting and post-enteral feeding among all patients were 104.3 (median: 38, 25th and 75th percentile: 12, 361) ng/ml and 222.2 (median: 152:0, 500) ng/ml, respectively. Regarding positivity, 76.9% and 73.1% of SPL values in early-morning fasting and post-enteral feeding SMID patients, respectively, were positive (≧16ng/ml). The SPL following early-morning fasting demonstrated a weak but significant positive correlation with age. In contrast, we noted no correlation between the pH/MII parameters and the SPL for either the early-morning fasting or post-enteral feeding patients, and no significant difference in the SPL was observed between the GERD (+) and (−) patients. ConclusionsThe present study showed that a high proportion of SMID patients had a relatively high SPL, regardless of the presence of GERD. The SPL in SMID patients might be affected by several distinctive factors in addition to gastroesophageal reflux.

The utility of a phase angle analysis in patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities

PurposeThe purpose of the present study was to evaluate whether evaluating the phase angle (PhA), in a bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is useful for estimating the nutritional status of severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) patients. Subjects and methodsThis retrospective study included 31 SMID patients (mean age: 33.9±13.5years, median age: 29years (range: 18–58years), male/female: 23/8). First, each of the parameters from the total study population and the male and female SMID patients were compared with those of healthy Asian subjects. Second, correlation analyses were conducted to investigate the correlation between the PhA and the other BIA parameters (appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI), appendicular muscle mass (AMM), extracellular water (ECW)/total body water (TBW)) as well as subjective global assessment and serum nutritional markers. Finally, all patients were divided into 2 groups according to their albumin (Alb) (<3.5 or ≥3.5) values and PhA of the 2 groups were compared. ResultsThe mean PhA and ASMI were a considerably low, whereas ECW/TBW was considerably high in comparison to the healthy Asian subjects. Significant negative correlations were observed between the PhA and ECW/TBW, whereas there were significant positive correlations between PhA and AMM, ASMI, total protein and albumin levels. Furthermore, PhA of Alb ≥3.5 group was significantly higher than that of Alb <3.5 group. ConclusionsThe present study indicated that SMID patients demonstrate the low PhA, which were similar to sarcopenia and a certain proportion of them also potentially have nutritional disturbances.

A study of oxidative stress and the newer antiepileptic drugs in epilepsy associated with severe motor and intellectual disabilities

BackgroundPatients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) are those who have both severe intellectual disabilities and severe physical disabilities. Intractable epilepsy is often associated with SMID. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the relationship between epilepsy associated with SMID and oxidative stress, and to clarify the safety and efficacy of the newer antiepileptic drugs (newer AEDs), lamotrigine and levetiracetam. MethodsThis study was conducted in 27 SMID patients with epilepsy who were treated with the newer AEDs. The patient characteristics and the safety and efficacy of the newer AEDs were investigated. The reactive oxygen metabolite (d-ROM) and biological antioxidant potential (BAP) levels were measured as indicators of the degree of oxidative stress. The relationship between the investigation results (the patient characteristics, and the safety and efficacy of the newer AEDs) and the results of measurements of the d-ROMs/BAP were analyzed. ResultsAll the patients who discontinued the newer AEDs had abnormal plasma d-ROM levels. In addition, all the patients who developed adverse events also had abnormal d-ROM levels. Furthermore, there was a trend toward a lower response rate in patients with higher plasma d-ROM levels. ConclusionThe results of this study suggested that d-ROM levels are useful for predicting the safety and efficacy of the newer AEDs (lamotrigine, levetiracetam) in SMID patients with intractable epilepsy. Therefore, d-ROMs could be important biomarkers for determining the safety and efficacy of drug therapy in SMID patients with epilepsy.

Outcome of renal proximal tubular dysfunction with Fanconi syndrome caused by sodium valproate.

Although Fanconi syndrome is rare in patients with epilepsy treated with sodium valproate (VPA), the prevalence might be higher in children with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID). VPA-induced Fanconi syndrome usually has a favorable outcome, but the long-term outcome of renal tubular dysfunction in SMID patients remains unknown. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the long-term outcome of renal proximal dysfunction in SMID children with Fanconi syndrome caused by VPA. The records of six children with SMID and Fanconi syndrome caused by VPA were retrospectively reviewed to assess long-term proximal renal tubular function after discontinuation of VPA. All six patients had intractable epilepsy and required tube feeding. Proximal tubular dysfunction improved in almost all patients after VPA discontinuation, although abnormal uric acid reabsorption persisted in three patients. Five patients had hypocarnitinemia. After carnitine supplementation, one of these three patients with decreased ability to reabsorb uric acid had a normal serum level and improved fractional excretion of uric acid. Secondary carnitine deficiency may cause prolonged tubular dysfunction in some SMID patients with VPA-induced Fanconi syndrome. Fanconi syndrome caused by VPA is a usually reversible dysfunction of the proximal tubules, but can be permanent. Although not effective for all patients, carnitine is recommended for patients with VPA-induced Fanconi syndrome, especially children with SMID.

Time study of staff members in an institution for severe motor and intellectual disabilities.

In Japan, improvement in the care for institutionalized patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) has resulted in improved prognosis compared with previous decades, leading to difficulty in entering institutions because of the limited capacity. In recent years, new SMID patients discharged mostly from neonatal intensive care units receive care in their parents' homes rather than in institutions. In order to effect this change, an assessment of patient care in both an institutional and home environment is of utmost importance. We performed a minute-by-minute time study of the work of staff members (n = 31) in a ward in an institution for SMID (31 patients with no ventilators) over 48 h in order to reconstruct patient care. Significant differences were found between the entirely immobile group (n = 15) and semi-mobile group (n = 13) in the area of total care time (124.6 vs 83.4 min/day, respectively, P = 0.003) and non-medical care time (99.1 vs 69.0 min/day, P = 0.003). Nurses (16 in total) did twice as many tasks as other staff members in the areas of medical care and general care management. The number of tasks was the same for nurses and other staff members in the areas of non-medical care and social participation/others. Patient care undertaken by medical professionals in the areas of both ordinary care as well as medical care seemed to have contributed to improved prognosis in SMID patients. This study demonstrates the essential nature of nursing care for SMID patients living in institutions and at home.

Enteral nutrition and antibiotic use increase the risk for vitamin K deficiency in patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities

Summary Background & aims We have investigated the possible risk factors for vitamin K deficiency in subjects with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID). Methods Eighty-two SMID patients were evaluated for their vitamin K intake, serum PIVKA (protein induced by vitamin K absence) -II and ucOC (undercarboxylated osteocalcin) levels; which are vitamin K-dependent hepatic and bone markers, respectively. Results Thirty-six and 19 patients were receiving enteral nutrition (EN) and antibiotics, respectively. Although their serum levels were above the upper reference range in 52% of the subjects for PIVKA-II and 30% of those for ucOC, overt abnormalities in blood coagulation were not observed. Multivariate analyses revealed that EN and antibiotic treatment were significant predictors of the serum PIVKA-II and ucOC levels. Antibiotic treatment affected their serum levels differently in those with EN and those with oral intake (OI). In subjects without antibiotic treatment, vitamin K intake was significantly correlated with circulating levels of PIVKA-II and ucOC, and the breakpoints of vitamin K intake for PIVKA-II and ucOC were 2.5 μg/BW/day and 5.5 μg/BW/day, respectively. Conclusions Vitamin K deficiency was highly prevalent in SMID patients, especially in those receiving both EN and antibiotics. Considering the facts that much more vitamin K is required in the bone than in the liver, and the SMID patients are at high risk of fracture, vitamin K supplementation would be of help in these subjects.

Effects of low-dose hydrochlorothiazide on urolithiasis and bone metabolism in severely disabled individuals: A pilot study

To clarify the effects of hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) on calcium metabolism in subjects with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID), we examined four patients (16–48 years old) with a history of urolithiasis and/or bone fracture and increased urinary calcium/creatinine ratio (U-Ca/Cr). U-Ca/Cr, blood markers of bone turnover, and bone-mineral density (BMD) were measured before and after administration of low-dose HCT (0.25–0.5 mg/kg/day). Three months after the initiation of HCT, U-Ca/Cr decreased in all patients, but this effect was less evident at 9–18 months. Bone-turnover marker of bone-specific alkaline phosphatase also showed a tendency to decrease, but BMD remained unchanged during the follow-up period. In SMID patients, HCT is beneficial for the treatment of hypercalciuria but its effects can be transient in certain cases. HCT may also ameliorate the increase in bone turnover, but its effects on the prevention of bone fractures remain uncertain. Hyponatremia is the most frequent and significant adverse effect of HCT, for which a close observation is mandatory in HCT application for patients with SMID.

Echocardiographic and electrocardiographic analyses of patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities

Severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) syndrome is a heterogeneous group of disorders with severe physical disabilities and mental retardation. Higher incidence of sudden death is also known in these patients. However, little is known about the cardiovascular features of patients with SMID. We examine the patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities using echocardiogram and clarify their characterization of ventricular function. We performed electrocardiographic and echocardiographic analyses in SMID patients. In all patients, two-dimensional echocardiography with tissue Doppler analysis in the pulsed Doppler mode was performed. Of 121 patients, 104 patients had abnormal findings: 81 had poor R-wave progression, and 15 patients had low-voltage QRS on ECG. These findings strongly correlated with the degree of physical disability. However, on echocardiography, most patients had LVEF in the normal range, while LV Tei indices were significantly higher (0.43 vs 0.31 cm/s) and left ventricular end-diastolic dimension significantly smaller than healthy controls (P<0.05 for each comparison). Patients had significantly decreased early diastolic tissue Doppler velocities at the lateral mitral (5.3 vs 6.7 cm/s), tricuspid (6.7 vs 9.2 cm/s), and septal (5.9 vs 8.8 cm/s) annuli compared with controls (P<0.05 for each comparison). We show for the first time that SMID patients have low E/Ea ratios on tissue Doppler imaging while LV contractions are normal, suggesting the existence of latent diastolic dysfunction. This may be one of the reasons why the incidence of sudden death is higher in SMID patients.

Oxidative stress as a biomarker of respiratory disturbance in patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities

Oxidative stress plays an important role in aging and various diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus and bronchial asthma. However, little is known about a potential role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) in terms of respiratory disturbance, which is the most common complication. In the present study, we examined the urinary levels of oxidative stress markers, 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), hexanoyl-lysine adduct (HEL) and acrolein-lysine adduct (ACR) in patients with SMID. The mean level of urinary 8-OHdG in SMID patients was significantly higher than that in normal controls (18.8 ± 9.0 ng/mg Cre and 10.5 ± 2.9 ng/mg Cre, respectively) ( p < 0.01). There was no significant difference of the mean level of urinary HEL between patients with SMID and normal controls (81.9 ± 40.3 pmol/mg Cre and 69.2 ± 37.7 pmol/mg Cre, respectively), while the mean level of ACR in patients with SMID was higher than that of normal controls (220.5 ± 118.6 nmol/mg Cre and 144.9 ± 62.0 nmol/mg Cre, respectively) ( p < 0.05). In addition, the level of 8-OHdG was strongly correlated with the severity of respiratory disturbance evaluated as the respiratory disturbance score (RDS) (Spearman r = 0.73, n = 14, p < 0.01). In contrast, there was no correlation between the levels of these oxidative stress markers and age or medication of antiepileptic drugs. These results suggest that urinary 8-OHdG is a potentially useful biomarker for evaluating the severity of respiratory failure in patients with SMID.

Synergistic Effect of Valproate Coadministration and Hypoalbuminemia on the Serum-Free Phenytoin Concentration in Patients With Severe Motor and Intellectual Disabilities

We investigated whether a combination of risk factors affects the free phenytoin (PHT) fraction by multiple regression analyses in 30 patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) with epilepsy. The risk factors analyzed were gender, age, total PHT concentration, albumin concentration, aspartate aminotransferase, alanin aminotransferase, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and antiepileptic drug concentrations. Serum levels of total and free PHT were measured by fluorescence polarization immunoassay. Free PHT fractions were between 7.2% and 17.3% (average 10.9%). Two factors, hypoalbuminemia and valproate (VPA) coadministratation with PHT, increased free PHT fraction, and a combination of these two markedly increased free PHT fraction. Patients with these double risk factors have a high risk of exceeding the therapeutic range of serum-free PHT concentration even if their total PHT concentration does not. Therefore, we should monitor free PHT concentration, especially in SMID patients with epilepsy, because they may have hypoalbuminemia and are treated with antiepileptic drug polytherapy and, moreover, cannot report adverse effects of the drugs.

長期経管栄養施行中の重症心身障害者に対する亜セレン酸ナトリウム内服液投与の有用性

Selenium is a component of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), which metabolizes oxygen radicals. Generally, selenium is obtained from such foods as grains and fish. Therefore, for patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) who cannot orally consume meals, a selenium deficiency remains a problem. To overcome this problem, selenium oral solution was administered to SMID patients under long-term total parenteral nutrition, and the usefulness of selenium oral solution was evaluated using the serum selenium concentration and GPx activity as indices.Before selenium oral solution administration, the serum selenium concentration of SMID patients was 3.0 ± 0.7, μg/dL, which is an extremely the low value compared with 11.2 ± 1.2, μg/dL which is the normal value for a healthy adult. Moreover, the GPx activity of 48.5 ± 12.3 n mol/min/mL was also extremely low in comparison to a healthy adult' s value of 112.6 ± 5.6 n mol/min/mL. When a selenium oral solution (6, μg/kg) was administered to SMID patients for two weeks once per day, the serum selenium concentration and the GPx activity increased, and there was no difference from a normal healthy adult' s value. Although the selenium oral solution thereafter decreased to 1.5μg/kg once per day, the serum selenium concentration and the GPx activity were mostly maintained in the normal region. Moreover, a significant positive correlation was observed between the serum selenium concentration and the GPx activity. (p< 0.001)These results suggested that the administration of oral selenium solution to patients with selenium deficiency diseases, such as SMID, and patients under long-term total parenteral nutrition, thus improved the serum selenium concentration and GPx activity.