[39] report a study with high selenium supplementation: 2.0 mg as a bolus followed by 1.6 mg/24 h for 10 days. The high dose of selenium resulted in stimulation of glutathione peroxidase and a lower incidence of hospital-acquired pneumonias. The clinical advantage in terms of morbidity in this comparatively small study (n = 35) indicates that prompt restoration of selenium status early in the course of critical illness is important.