Comparison of serum selenium levels in anaemic and non-anaemic Pakistani children.

Abstract

Objective: To compare the serum selenium levels in anemic and non-anemic Pakistani children. Study Design: Case-control Prospective study. Setting: PAEC General Hospital, Islamabad, Pakistan. Period: 1^st March 2022 to 31^st August 2022. Methods: A case control study was conducted wherein comparison of Selenium levels in anemic and non anaemic Pakistani children was investigated. Age, serum selenium level and haemoglobin were the quantitative variable of this study and were subjected to median and standard deviation. Severity of anemia, mean being qualitative (ordinal) variables were expressed in terms of percentages. Bar graph and tables were used to display results. Chi square test was applied to compare both the groups. Odd ratios were also calculated. A total of 60 samples from anemic and control population were selected using consecutive non-probability sampling method. Selenium levels of the serum were determined using atomic absorption spectrometry. SPSS 19 version software was used for data analysis. Results: The findings in this study indicated that 33% of cases were Selenium deficient, while 27% among controls had low Selenium levels. (p=0.57). Conclusion: This study showed no association of selenium deficiency with anaemia.