Cardiomyopathy Secondary to Selenium Deficiency: A Review of Clinical Cases

Abstract

Background:Selenium is an essential micronutrient for the human body because it is needed for the synthesis of selenoproteins, which have various biological functions. As a result, selenium deficiency associated with diets and/or environments manifests in different disease states such as epilepsy, multiminicore disease and cardiovascular injury which in some cases is a presage of cardiomyopathy.Objective:This objective was to review published cases and identify selenium-responsive cardiomyopathy due to selenium deficiency by various factors.Methods:Published case reports in English were identified and extracted from PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Science Direct Library.Results:28 case reports met inclusion criteria out of an initial 189 articles.Conclusion:Acquired selenium deficiency is a causative factor for the development of cardiomyopathy in patients under different conditions, and treatment of these patients with selenium is effective in normalizing cardiac function or reducing cardiac dysfunction. Thus, it is important to include selenium deficiency as a possible cause of cardiomyopathy for diagnosis and treatment purposes.