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Validity of hair selenium analysis as a biomarker of selenium concentration among Egyptian patients with psoriasis vulgaris

Introduction Scalp hairs are filaments that can record and reflect changes in the metabolism of body elements over a prolonged time. Testing for hair metals represents a tool that provides clues about the mineral status in the body. The potential contribution of oxidative stress and antioxidant defense exhaustion has received significant attention for the determination of the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Objective To determine the utility of hair selenium (Se) level as a monitoring tool, by assessing the levels of Se in hair and serum samples of patients with psoriasis vulgaris (PsV), and correlating these levels with PsV severity scores. Patients and methods Estimation of Se concentrations in scalp hair and serum samples of 20 psoriasis patients and 20 healthy sex-matched and age-matched controls was performed. Psoriasis Area and Severity Index was scored. Se was measured in serum by inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy and in hair using an electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometer. Results Psoriasis patients had significantly lower means of hair Se concentrations than the controls (274.1±32.0, 354.7±38.1 ng/g; P<0.001, respectively) and lower serum Se levels (62.81±14.8 vs. 96.9±19.8 &mgr;mol/l; P<0.001). Hair Se levels were correlated positively with serum Se concentrations (r=0.426, P<0.001). Lower hair and serum Se levels were correlated with high Psoriasis Area and Severity Index scores. Discrimination of the severity of psoriasis using the level of scalp hair Se as a monitoring tool can be reliable with 100% sensitivity, 95% specificity, and 98.3% diagnostic accuracy. Conclusion These data further indicate not only the possibility of assessing Se levels in scalp hair as a monitoring tool for psoriasis but also hair Se levels might be suitable for representing the body concentrations. Hair analysis may be an auxiliary tool that can be used to identify the links between factors leading to the development of PsV.