Effect of selenium-free parenteral nutrition on serum selenium of neonates and infants maintained on long-term parenteral nutrition.

Background The risk of selenium deficiency increases for infants receiving long-term parenteral nutrition (PN). This study analyzed selenium deficiency in neonates and infants requiring long-term PN and evaluated the effect of intravenous (IV) selenium provision. Methods This study was a retrospective study of neonates and infants who were admitted to neonatal intensive care unit from January 2010 to December 2019, received PN for at least 2 weeks, and had their serum selenium concentration measured. Patients were divided into two groups depending on their serum selenium concentration, a deficient group (n = 55) and a non-deficient group (n = 47). Results Of the study subjects, 53.9% (55/102) were deficient in selenium. No difference in demographic and clinical characteristics existed between the two groups except for the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. A subgroup analysis was performed for patients who were supplemented with IV selenium and whose serum selenium concentrations were monitored (n = 29). The average dose of IV selenium administered to patients was 2.7 ± 1.0 μg/kg/day. The average initial serum selenium concentration was 36.5 ± 18.0 μg/L and the serum concentration significantly increased to 52.5 ± 19.1 μg/L after IV selenium administration (p Conclusions Selenium deficiency is common in neonates and infants receiving long-term PN. Serum selenium concentration increased proportionally as the IV selenium dose increased. Therefore, it is recommended to supply a proper dose of IV selenium depending on the degree of selenium deficiency. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.