Trace elements are essential micronutrients. They are at present seldom considered in the routine management of critical care patients but are immensely important for redox balance and antioxidant function as well as the prevention of clinical deficiency states. Intensive care patients are at risk of both overt and sub-clinical trace element deficiencies and studies show that supplementing critically ill patients with trace elements may offer them a mortality benefit. This article reviews those trace elements relevant to critical care and the research that has been performed on them to date.
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