Maternal - neonatal serum selenium and copper levels in Greeks and Albanians

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 58; no. 9; pp. 1314 - 1318
• Main Authors: Schulpis, K.H, Karakonstantakis, T, Gavrili, S, Chronopoulou, G, Karikas, G.A, Vlachos, G, Papassotiriou, I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.09.2004; Nature Publishing; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: Adult; Albania - ethnology; Animal protein; animal proteins; Animals; Atomic absorption analysis; atomic absorption spectrometry; Atomic absorption spectroscopy; Babies; Biological and medical sciences; Blood; blood serum; Clinical Nutrition; Copper; Copper - blood; Copper - deficiency; Cord blood; Dietary Proteins - administration & dosage; Emigration and Immigration; Epidemiology; Evaluation; Female; Fetal Blood - chemistry; Food intake; Food sources; Greece; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Immigrants; Infant, Newborn - blood; Internal Medicine; Management. Prenatal diagnosis; Maternal-Fetal Exchange; Meat; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic Diseases; Mothers; Neonates; Newborn babies; Nutrients; Nutrition; Nutritional Requirements; Nutritional Status; original-communication; Pregnancy; Pregnancy - blood; Pregnancy - ethnology; Pregnancy. Fetus. Placenta; protein intake; Proteins; Public Health; Selenium; Selenium - blood; Selenium - deficiency; Socioeconomic Factors; socioeconomic status; Socioeconomics; Spectral analysis; Spectrometry; Spectrophotometry, Atomic; Spectrum Analysis; Trace elements; Trace elements (nutrients); women; Europe; Albania; Greece; Albanian; copper; selenium; Greek; pregnancy neonates; Human; Neonatal; Immigrant; Concentration; Pregnancy; Newborn; Serum; Umbilical cord; Selenium; Copper; Public health
• ISSN: 0954-3007; 1476-5640
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601967

Aim: To evaluate selenium (Se) and copper (Cu) concentrations in Greek and Albanian immigrant mothers and in the cord blood of their newborns. Subjects and methods: From 1118 Greek and 820 Albanian mothers and from the cord blood of their neonates blood was obtained for Se and Cu measurement. Se and Cu concentrations were determined in sera with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GFAAAS) and atomic absorption spectrometry, respectively. In all, 30 days' nutrient intakes were evaluated in both groups. Results: Animal protein, Se and Cu intakes were poor in the Albanians vs the Greeks (P < 0.001). Se concentrations in the Greek mothers (68.3 +/- 8.5 microgram/l) and in their newborns (37.02 +/- 8.9 microgram/l) were found higher as compared with those in Albanian mothers (37.4 +/- 9.9 microgram/l) and in their newborns (34.3 +/- 9.1 microgram/l) (P < 0.001). Cu levels were also found higher (P < 0.001) in the Greek mothers (1687 +/- 353 microgram/l) and in their neonates (449 +/- 87 microgram/l) compared with those in the Albanian mothers (959 +/- 318 microgram/l) and in their newborns (229 +/- 67 microgram/l). Additionally, 31.5% of neonates born to Albanian women with Se concentrations less than 28 microgram/l had higher Se levels (P < 0.01) than their mothers. Conclusions: The low Se and Cu levels evaluated in the Albanian mothers and their newborns could be related to their poor animal protein intake which could be the consequence of their low socioeconomic status. As an effective preventive measure, accurate dietetic strategies to assess the requirements of pregnant immigrant women for trace elements may be planned in Greece.