Glutathione peroxidase activity and serum selenium concentration in intrinsic asthmatic patients

Serum glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) activity and selenium concentration were compared in intrinsic asthmatic patients and nonasthmatic control subjects. Serum GSHPx activity and selenium concentration were assessed in 46 asthmatic patients and 75 age and sexmatched nonasthmatic subjects by spectrophotometric assay. Mean serum GSHPx activity was lower in intrinsic asthmatic subjects (9.4 +/- 2.6 mol NADPH oxidized/min/g of protein) than in nonasthmatic subjects (16.3 +/- 2.9 mol NADPH oxidized/ min/g of protein). Mean serum selenium was lower in intrinsic asthmatic subjects (1.15 +/- 0.23 M) than in nonasthmatic subjects (1.98 +/- 0.27 muM). Asthmatic patients have significantly lower concentration of selenium and GSHPx activity measured in serum.