Investigation of the Effect of Oral Selenium on the Reduction of Clinical Symptoms and Joint Pain in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Iranian Population

Abstract

AbstractRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common inflammatory joint disease. Because inflammation and nitrosative stress play an important role in the pathogenesis of RA, drugs that have antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory effects can be effective as adjuvant treatment in these patients. Selenium is a compound that has been shown in recent studies to have anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of oral selenium on the reduction of clinical symptoms and joint pain in patients with RA. Fifty‐one patients with moderate and severe RA were randomly divided into selenium and placebo groups. The first group of patients received selenium at a dose of 200 μg twice a day for 12 weeks along with standard RA interventions and treatments, and the second group received standard treatments of RA along with a placebo. Clinical symptoms were evaluated with standard indicators to evaluate disease activity before and after the intervention in the 12th week. Examination of clinical symptoms at the end of the study showed that in the selenium group and after 12 weeks, a reduction in clinical symptoms and joint pain were observed, which was statistically significant compared with before the study began. Meanwhile, no significant changes were observed in the patients of the placebo group in terms of reducing symptoms and joint pains. A dose of 200 μg of oral selenium twice a day for 12 weeks can significantly reduce clinical symptoms and joint pain in patients with RA.