Therapeutic Role of Selenium in Children with Lower Respiratory Infections: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The double-blind randomized controlled trial published in the Indian Pediatrics evaluated the effect of oral selenium on the clinical recovery of acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRTI) in children aged 6 months to 5 years.

A total of 60 hospitalized children with ALRTI were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either oral selenium (20–30 mcg per day) or placebo once daily, alongside standard treatment, until discharge. The main outcome measured was the time to clinical recovery, while secondary outcomes included hospital stay duration, type of oxygen support required, and any side effects of selenium.

The median time to clinical recovery was 72 hours in the selenium group and 96 hours in the placebo group, with no significant difference between them (P = 0.346). The median duration of hospital stay was similar in both groups—6 days in the selenium group and 6 days in the placebo group (P = 0.680). However, mechanical ventilation was required in significantly fewer children in the selenium group (16.6%) compared to the placebo group (35%) (P = 0.020). No adverse effects related to selenium were reported.

The study concluded that oral selenium did not shorten the clinical recovery time or hospital stay but appeared to reduce the need for mechanical ventilation in children under five with ALRTI.

(Source:Indianpediatrics.2025;62(5):351https://www.indianpediatrics.net/may2025/351.pdf#:~:text=To%20evaluate%20the%20role%20of%20oral%20selenium%20in,with%20ALRTI%20at%20a%20terary%20c%20are%20hospital.)

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