Diet and the content of selenium and lead in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm

Background: To evaluate the content of selenium (Se) and lead (Pb) and the influence of dietary habits and smoking in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Patients and methods: Forty-nine patients with AAA prior to surgical procedures aged 42-81 years and a control group of 22 healthy volunteers aged 31-72 years and 17 aortic wall samples from deceased were included in the study. Food-frequency questionnaires were implemented in AAA patients to collect the dietary data. Se and Pb concentrations in the serum and blood, respectively, and in arterial wall and parietal thrombus samples were determined by the atomic absorption spectrometry method. Results: The mean Se level in serum of patients with AAA (60.37 +/- 21.2 cm/L) was significantly (p < 0.008) lower than in healthy volunteers (75.87 +/- 22.4 cm/L). We observed a significant correlation (r = 0.69, p < 0.0001) between the content of Se in serum and the parietal thrombus of examined patients. Se concentration in aortic wall was inversely correlated to the concentration of Pb (r = -0.38, p < 0.02). We observed significantly lower (p < 0.05) concentrations of Se (39.14 +/- 37.1 cm/g) and significantly higher (p < 0.05) concentrations of Pb (202.69 +/- 180.6 cm/g) in aortic wall samples of smoking patients than in non-smoking patients (77.56 +/- 70.0 cm/g, 73.09 +/- 49.8 cm/g; respectively). Conclusions: Se serum level is lower in patients with AAA than in healthy volunteers. In aortic wall, Se concentration is inversely correlated with Pb concentration. Dietary habits and smoking have an influence on the Se and Pb status in patients with AAA.