Viegas-Crespo, Ana MariaPavão, Maria LeonorMira, Maria de LurdesTorres, IsabelHalpern, Manuel JúdiceNève, Jean2014-02-192014-02-191996VIEGAS-CRESPO, A. M., PAVÃO, M. L., MIRA, M. L., TORRES, I., HALPERN, M. J. e NÈVE, J. (1996). "Comparison of serum selenium levels in inhabitants from different portuguese regions". In Therapeutic Uses of Trace Elements, editado por J. Nève, Philippe Chapuis e Michel Lamand (N. York: Plenum Press), pp. 351-354. Proceedings of the Fifth International Congress on Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology, held February 4-7, 1996, in Meribel, France. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0167-5_60.978-0-3064-5485-1 (Plenum Press)978-1-4899-0169-9 (Print-Springer)978-1-4899-0167-5 (Online-Springer)http://hdl.handle.net/10400.3/2791Editora original: Plenum Press. Editora actual da Revista: Springer US.Proceedings of the Fifth International Congress on Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology, held February 4-7, 1996, in Meribel, France.Selenium is an essential trace element in human nutrition, which is an integral part of the peroxide destroying enzyme, glutathione peroxidase (I). It also takes part in the constitution of other selenoproteins (2) and seems to play other biological functions, such as an important role in the peripheric deiodination of thyroid hormones (3). Normal selen ium status varies widely from one part of the world to another. This situation, which is the consequence of differences in selenium intake, depends on the selenium content in soils and hence in food, as well as its bioavailability (4). Moreover, d ifferent physiological conditions and also the occurrence of pathological situations are liable to influence the status of the element in human beings. In order to assess the selenium status of Portuguese inhabitants in association with other parameters involved in the antioxidant function, and their relationship with atherosclerotic risk factors, we carried out an extensive epidemiological study conceming populations with different socio-economic profiles and feeding habits. In the present study, serum selenium levels were determined in inhabitants from five populations (two urban, two rural and one piscatorial) located in three different Portuguese regions – Mainland, Madeira Island and Azores Archipelago. The relationship of serum selenium concentration with age and sex was also considered. (Introduction)engSeleniumbook part