The Prevention Effect of Selenium on Prevalence of Children Kaschin-Beck Disease in Active Endemic Areas in Qinghai Plateau.

Selenium deficiency is an important environmental risk factor of Kaschin-Beck disease (KBD), and appropriate selenium supplement can reduce the prevalence of KBD. Guide and Xinghai counties, active endemic areas of KBD in Qinghai Plateau, are characteristic with low level of selenium. The aim of this article was to explore the relationship between selenium content and prevalence of children KBD in some active endemic areas from Guide and Xinghai counties. The historical data of KBD were collected, including the detectable rates of KBD and selenium contents of the hair of children, and then the relationship between the prevalence of KBD and selenium contents of hair was analyzed. In KBD endemic areas of Guide County, the detectable rates of X-ray and metaphysic lesion were declined from 25.00 and 16.96% in 2000 to 13.75 and 13.75% in 2010, respectively. Similarly, in KBD endemic areas of Xinghai County, the detectable rates of X-ray and metaphysic lesion were declined from 46.51 and 40.31% in 2000 to 10.64 and 8.51% in 2010, respectively. The selenium contents of hair in Xinghai county were increased from 130.01 ± 48.08 μg/kg in 2003 to 211.8 ± 86.64 μg/kg in 2010(t = 2.98, P < 0.05); the selenium content of hair in Guide County were increased from 142.30 ± 62.02 μg/kg in 2003 to 182.09 ± 78.46 μg/kg in 2010 (t = 3.12, P < 0.05). There was a negative correlation between the prevalence of KBD and selenium contents of hair (r = -0.785). There was a close relationship between selenium content and prevalence of KBD. Selenium could reduce the prevalence of KBD, so it is very necessary to supplement selenium appropriately for KBD prevention.