The effect of selenase on the disease process of patients with septic shock admitted to the intensive care unit: A clinical trial in Tehran

Purpose: Despite discovering new antibiotics, mortality due to septic shock has remained high. This research has examined the effect of selenase in patients with septic shock admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a hospital in Tehran. Materials and Methods: This double-blind clinical trial was done on 80 participants (40 case and 40 control) who were admitted to the ICU with septic shock. Every participant in the case group was administered 500 μg selenase twice daily for 10 days. In contrast, each participant of the control group was treated with placebo (normal saline). Data were collected by observation and recorded in a questionnaire. Chi-square and Student’s t-test were used for data analysis. Results: In this study 34 participants (42.5%) were men and 46 (57.5%) were women. The duration stay in the ICU in treatment group was less than in the observation group which was statistically significant (P = .01). There was also a significant difference regarding the frequency of morbidity and mortality rates between the two groups (P = .03 and P = .02, respectively). Conclusion: Selenium at a dosage of 500 μg (twice daily) is effective in those who have suffered from septic shock. Still, more studies are needed to determine the best dosage and administration method of this drug.