Serum sample levels of selenium and copper in healthy volunteers living in Rio de Janeiro city.

The objective of this study was to analyze the serum sample levels of selenium and copper in healthy volunteers living in the city Rio de Janeiro. Thirty individuals were submitted for nutritional assessment, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, and serum selenium and copper analysis through hydride generation and flame atomic absorption spectrometry, respectively. The accuracy and precision of these methods were evaluated using certified reference materials.

Thiamin, selenium, and copper levels in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy taking diuretics.

Objective: To analyze the association of thiamin, selenium, and copper serum levels with cardiac function in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy using diuretics, and also to compare them with levels in control patients with no evidence of disease.

Methods: The study comprised 30 patients with heart disease and 30 healthy control individuals. Thiamin was analyzed by measuring the activity of erythrocytic transketolase and the effect of thiamin pyrophosphate.