ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Selenium supplementation has been shown to have therapeutic value in chronic liver disease. We aimed to investigate the association between serum selenium, severity of liver fibrosis, and mortality in patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). PATIENTS OR MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 33,944 patients were identified from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. NAFLD was diagnosed by hepatic ultrasound after the exclusion of other forms of liver diseases. The severity of liver fibrosis was determined by NAFLD Fibrosis Score >0.676. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between serum selenium level and liver fibrosis. Association between serum selenium and all-cause mortality in NAFLD patients was also evaluated. RESULTS: Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated odds ratio of advanced liver fibrosis (NFSâ¯>â¯0.676) was significantly reduced with increasing serum selenium levels; OR 0.55, [95% CI 0.32-0.94] in the highest selenium quartile. On stratification analysis, the following populations had a significantly reduced risk of advanced liver fibrosis: non-Hispanic whiteâ¯=â¯OR 0.41 [0.24,0.68]; femaleâ¯=â¯OR 0.32 [0.15-0.66] and age >47â¯=â¯OR 0.47 [0.28-0.79]. The relationship was significant regardless of BMI as noted by BMIâ¯≤â¯30 Kg/m2= OR 0.42 [0.19-0.91] and BMIâ¯>â¯30 Kg/m2=OR 0.52 [0.28-0.97]. Hazard ratio for all-cause mortality was HR 0.72 [0.56-0.95]. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of advanced liver fibrosis is inversely associated with serum selenium levels, particularly in older patients, Caucasians, and females. All-cause mortality decreased with increased selenium levels. Selenium may play a role in the prevention of liver fibrosis in NAFLD.
Subject(s)
Liver Cirrhosis/blood , Liver Cirrhosis/epidemiology , Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/blood , Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/epidemiology , Selenium/blood , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Liver Cirrhosis/diagnosis , Logistic Models , Male , Middle Aged , Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/pathology , Nutrition Surveys , Odds Ratio , Retrospective Studies , Risk Factors , Survival Rate , Young AdultABSTRACT
IMPORTANCE Little is known about population-based risk factors and regional differences for vitiligo.OBJECTIVE To determine the impact of place of birth and residence on vitiligo extent.DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A prospective questionnaire-based study using an online questionnaire with 2786 adults (72.2%of whom resided in the United States) with a history of physician-diagnosed vitiligo.EXPOSURES Regions of birth and residence.MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Body surface area (BSA) of vitiligo lesions.RESULTS Patients with vitiligo who were born outside the United States had lower odds of vitiligo-affected BSA greater than 25%, even after controlling for race/ethnicity, sex, and current age (logistic regression; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.57 [95%CI, 0.46-0.60]).Birthplace in all continents was associated with lower odds of affected BSA greater than 25%than was birthplace in North America. Adults born outside the United States had less affected BSA whether they resided inside (aOR, 0.58 [96%CI, 0.41-0.81]) or outside the United States(aOR, 0.60 [95%CI, 0.48-0.76]). Birthplace and residence at latitudes closer to the equator were associated with lower rates of affected BSA greater than 25%(P .002). The prevalence of affected BSA greater than 25%varied greatly by state of residence (range,27.3%in Maryland to 100% in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming) (global Moran index = 0.37; P < .001; G statistic = 0.62; P < .001). Spatial regression models that controlled for the regional variation were constructed and confirmed that birthplace outside the United States was associated with lower odds of affected BSA greater than 25%(aOR, 0.61 [95%CI,0.45-0.83]) but not race/ethnicity.CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE There was significant statewide and intercontinental variation for rates of extensive vitiligo. These results suggest that previously unrecognized regional environmental risk factors, especially early in life, play an important role in vitiligo. Additional studies are needed to confirm these early findings and identify such risk factors.TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01401374