Selenium deficiency associated with anemia among hospitalized heart failure patients

A recent study published in the ESC Heart Failure highlights the intricate relationship between selenium levels and anemia in heart failure (HF) patients. Based on the findings from the BIOSTAT-CHF study, the research reveals important insights into how selenium deficiency contributes to the severity of anemia in individuals with heart failure.

Heart failure patients usually face a challenging prognosis, with increased hospitalization rates, decreased exercise tolerance and higher mortality. But, this new study underlines the significance of selenium in reducing these adverse outcomes. The study was conducted on 320 hospitalized HF subjects and found that higher levels of selenoprotein P (SELENOP) which is a crucial biomarker for selenium transport, were associated with a lower risk of anemia and iron deficiency.

The comprehensive analysis considered SELENOP concentrations in relation to hemoglobin (Hb) levels, the prevalence of anemia and iron status, as measured by the transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1). The results revealed a clear correlation between SELENOP levels and these crucial health markers.

It was also discovered that SELENOP concentrations were positively correlated with hemoglobin concentrations which provides evidence that adequate selenium levels may positively influence blood health. However, SELENOP deficiency was associated with lower hemoglobin concentrations, higher TfR1 concentrations indicative of iron deficiency and a higher risk of anemia in HF patients.

These findings emphasize the role of selenium in the overall health management of the heart failure patients. SELENOP appears to be a critical player in widely reducing the risk of anemia and targeted interventions to improve the patient outcomes. This research deepens our understanding of the potential connections between selenium, anemia and heart failure and additionally paves the way for future interventions by optimizing selenium levels in HF patients that could improve their overall prognosis. 

Reference:

Jujić, A., Molvin, J., Holm Isholth, H., Dieden, A., Korduner, J., Zaghi, A., Nezami, Z., Bergmann, A., Schomburg, L., & Magnusson, M. (2024). Association between low selenoprotein P concentrations and anaemia in hospitalized heart failure patients. ESC Heart Failure. https://doi.org/10.1002/ehf2.14651