the correlation between serum selenium concentration and clinical outcomes in critically ill paediatric patients following major gastrointestinal surgeries: a cross-sectional study

Introduction: the present study aimed to assess the possible correlation between serum selenium levels and clinical outcomes in the picu patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgeries. methods: this cross-sectional study was conducted on 66 critically ill pediatric patients who were in the postoperative stage of major gastrointestinal surgeries. serum selenium concentration was assessed using the atomic absorption method, and the clinical outcomes were collected prospectively. results: no significant association was denoted between serum selenium concentration and some clinical outcomes, like the duration of ventilator dependency, picu length of stay, and picu/28-day mortality. however, the statistical analysis of the data showed a negative but significant association between serum selenium concentration, and infection rate, and length of hospital stay (p= 0.01 and p=0.04, respectively). conclusion: serum selenium concentration decreased in the post-gastrointestinal-surgery patients admitted to the picu upon picu admission, and the reduction was associated with prolonged hospitalization and a higher infection rate.