Urinary selenium in healthy and diabetic Saudi Arabians.

We examined Se in urine of 170 Saudi Arabian diabetics (19 insulin-dependent [type 1] and 151 insulin-independent [type 2]) and in an equal number of control subjects of the same origin by measuring the ratio of the concentration of this metal (C(Se)) to that of creatinine in urine (C(creat)) for each subject. The mean (and SEM) of C(Se) /C(creat) for the control subjects was 56 (2.9) mu mol/mol creat, whereas, the value for the diabetics combined or separated into type 1 and type 2 was 56.7 (3.2), 51.5 (6.3), and 57.4 (3.5) mu mol/mol creat, respectively. With the exception of type 2 diabetics who were treated with insulin in addition to oral hypoglycemic and diet (35 patients) (mean [SEM] = 43 (4.3) mu mol/mol creat), there was no significant difference in C(Se)/C(creat) between the diabetics and control subjects. Also, there was no significant correlation between C(Se)/C(creat) and age, sex, or weight of diabetics, whereas, the correlation with the degree of diabetic control was significant (p < 0.0136). Of all diabetes-associated disorders (cardiovascular diseases, neuropathy, ophthalmologic diseases, infections, and hepatic disease), only ophthalmologic diseases appears to cause a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in C(Se)/C(creat), but only among type 2 diabetics. Inasmuch as Se status is reflected by urinary Se, healthy Saudi Arabians appear to have Se status that is comparable or higher than those reported for other populations.