Correlations among plasma silicon, magnesium and calcium in patients with knee osteoarthritis - analysis in consideration of gender

Introduction and objective. Osteoarthrits (OA) is a complex, chronic disorder of cartilage and bone, related to homeostasis of bioelements. The current study aimed at evaluation of correlations between plasma silicon, magnesium and ionized calcium in OA patients in consideration to gender. Materials and method. The study comprised 59 patients aged 69.5±9.0 years (18 males aged 66.8±9.2; 41 females aged 70.7±8.8), admitted to the Trauma and Orthopaedic Ward of the Independent Public Health Care Centre in Łęczna, Poland, due to OA and qualified to surgery. Control group consisted of 19 subjects without OA (54.5±8.6 years; 10 males aged 41.3±9.3; 9 females aged 69.1±14.9). Plasma concentrations of silicon and magnesium (spectrophotometric methods) and ionized calcium (potentiometric method) were determined. Results. Silicon in OA patients was significantly increased vs. control. In OA males and OA females, silicon was enhanced vs. the respective controls, but it was statistically significant only in males. Magnesium in OA patients was not significantly different from control group. In females, a significant decrease vs. the respective control was observed. No significant differences were observed in the case of ionized calcium. Positive correlations between silicon and magnesium in healthy control, both in the whole group and in male and female subgroups, were noted, while no such effect was observed in OA subjects. Conclusions. The results might suggest some connection between higher OA incidence in women and the depleted magnesium in the organism. Silicon increase in OA patients, especially in men, may indicate its intense metabolism during the articular inflammatory process, likely dependent on sex hormones. It remains open whether the plasma Si increase is the effect or cause of OA

Selenium prevents lithium accumulation and does not disturb basic microelement homeostasis in liver and kidney of rats exposed to lithium

Introduction. Lithium has been used in medicine for almost seventy years. Besides beneficial effects, its therapy may cause serious side-effects, with kidney and liver being the organs most vulnerable to its harmful influence. Therefore, research on protective agents against lithium toxicity has been continuing for some time. Objective. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the influence of additional selenium supplementation on lithium content, as well as homeostasis of the essential microelements iron, zinc, copper and manganese in kidney and liver of rats undergoing lithium exposure. Materials and method. The study was performed on 4 groups of male Wistar rats (6 animals each) treated with: control – saline; Li-group – Li2CO3 at a dose of 2.7 mg Li/kg b.w.; Se-group – Na2SeO3 at a dose of 0.5 mg Se/kg b.w.; Li+Se-group – both Li2CO3 and Na2SeO3 at doses of 2.7 mg Li/kg b.w. and of 0.5 mg Se/kg b.w., respectively, in the form of water solutions by stomach tube, once a day for 3 weeks. The content of the studied elements in the organ samples was determined using flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS). Results. Lithium administered alone caused a significant increase in its content in liver and kidney. Additional supplementation with selenium reversed these effects, and did not markedly affect other studied microelements compared to control. Conclusions. The obtained results suggest that selenium could be regarded as an adjuvant into lithium therapy. However, considering the limitations of the present study (the short duration, using only one dose and form of selenium) the continuation of the research seems to be necessary to clarify the influence of selenium supplementation on basic microelements and lithium accumulation in organs during lithium exposure