Cor Vasa 2026, 68(3):254-258

Serum Selenium Levels in Patients with Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: A Case-Control Study and Implications for Pathophysiology

Šimon Smoter^{a, b}, Alexandra Bražinová^b, Katarína Čepcová^a, Denisa Čelovská^{a, b}, Roman Slyško^a

^a Department of Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia

^b Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia

Objective: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a chronic vascular disease associated with inflammation and oxidative stress. Selenium is an essential trace element involved in antioxidant defense, but its relationship with AAA in humans remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between serum selenium concentrations and the presence of abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Methods: A case-control study was performed including patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm and age- and sex-matched control subjects without aneurysmal disease. Serum selenium concentrations were measured using standardized laboratory methods. Clinical characteristics and cardiovascular risk factors were recorded. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between serum selenium levels and the presence of AAA.

Results: Patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm had significantly higher serum selenium concentrations compared with control subjects (p = 0.0009). After adjustment for selected cardiovascular risk factors, elevated serum selenium levels remained independently associated with the presence of AAA (odds ratio 1.42, p = 0.04). No significant association between serum selenium concentrations and aneurysm diameter was observed.

Conclusion: In this cohort, higher serum selenium concentrations were associated with the presence of abdominal aortic aneurysm. The clinical relevance of this finding remains uncertain and may reflect altered trace element metabolism or a compensatory response to vascular oxidative stress. Further prospective studies are needed to clarify the role of selenium in AAA pathophysiology.

Keywords: Abdominal aortic aneurysm, Biomarkers, Selenium, Trace elements, Vascular disease,

Received: December 17, 2025; Revised: January 17, 2026; Accepted: January 18, 2026; Prepublished online: June 2, 2012; Published: July 1, 2026  Show citation