Comparison of the Effect of Different Doses of Selenium on Maximum Inspiratory Pressure among Patients Receiving Blood Transfusion in Intensive Care Units

Previous studies showed that patients receiving blood transfusion under mechanical ventilation may be encounter to respiratory problems. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of high-dose selenium on maximum inspiratory pressure in critically ill patients who received blood transfusion and under mechanical ventilation in intensive care units (ICUs).
In a clinical trial study, 102 patients with history of blood transfusion in intensive care units of Alzahra hospital, Isfahan, Iran, were randomly divided in three groups of receiving 1000, 500, and 0 µg intravenous selenium. Maximum inspiratory pressure and respiratory parameters were evaluated and compared between the three groups.
Findings: The mean maximum inspiratory pressure in the first time of ventilation was -28.12 ± 2.67, -29.41 ± 2.65, and -28.5 ± 2.16 cmH2O in the three groups of control, and 1000 and 500 µg selenium, respectively, without any statistically difference between the three groups (P = 0.10). The mean maximum inspiratory pressure was -30.29 ± 1.47, -30.12 ± 1.39, and -30.74 ± 1.91 cmH2O at pressure support ventilation (PSV) of 8 cmH2O in mentioned groups, respectively, and no statistically difference were seen between the groups (P = 0.28). At pressure support ventilation 5 cmH2O, the mean maximum inspiratory pressure was -31.82 ± 1.91, -32.53 ± 2.68 and -30.76 ± 5.22 cmH2O in three mentioned groups, respectively, without statistically difference between the groups (P = 0.10).
Different doses of selenium did not decrease airway resistance in patients receiving blood transfusion under mechanical ventilation. Therefore, more studies with larger sample sizes is recommended to determine the role of selenium in improving breathing and ventilation parameters, timing and weaning from mechanical ventilation and other related parameters.