An Occidental Case of Cardiomyopathy and Selenium Deficiency

SELENIUM is a trace element that until recently has been considered unimportant in human nutrition, except when ingested in excessive amounts.1 During the past decade, Chinese investigators have shown that selenium deficiency is one of the principal factors responsible for Keshan disease, a "dilated" (congestive) cardiomyopathy that affects persons (mainly children and young women) living in rural areas of a selenium-deficient zone in China.2 3 4 This report describes an Occidental patient in whom selenium deficiency became associated with dilated cardiomyopathy.Case ReportA 43-year-old man had been receiving parenteral alimentation for two years (one liter of FreAmine 11 [an amino acid . . .