Zinc deficiency in an exclusively breast-fed preterm infant

A formerly premature, exclusively breast-fed infant with severe zinc deficiency syndrome is presented. He showed the characteristic erosive skin changes, including alopecia, as seen in acrodermatitis enteropathica. In addition, he manifested a failure to thrive and irritability. The diagnosis was co...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European journal of pediatrics 1995, Vol.154 (1), p.71-75
Main Authors: HEINEN, F, MATERN, D, PRINGSHEIM, W, LEITITIS, J. U, BRANDIS, M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alkaline Phosphatase - blood
Biological and medical sciences
Breast Feeding
Failure to Thrive - blood
Failure to Thrive - etiology
Humans
Immunoglobulin A - blood
Immunoglobulin G - blood
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature
Male
Medical sciences
Metabolic diseases
Other nutritional diseases (malnutrition, nutritional and vitamin deficiencies...)
Skin Diseases - blood
Skin Diseases - etiology
Skin Diseases - therapy
Zinc - blood
Zinc - deficiency
Zinc - therapeutic use
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Summary:A formerly premature, exclusively breast-fed infant with severe zinc deficiency syndrome is presented. He showed the characteristic erosive skin changes, including alopecia, as seen in acrodermatitis enteropathica. In addition, he manifested a failure to thrive and irritability. The diagnosis was confirmed by reduced serum levels of zinc (2.3 mumol/l) and alkaline phosphatase (45 U/l). We consider the reduced zinc supply in the breast milk (5.7 mumol/l) as the most likely cause of the disease. Therapy consisted of oral zinc supplements (50 mumol/kg/day) for a period of 30 weeks. Symptoms and laboratory values normalized completely and did not recur on a normal diet. A diet of breast milk can, in rare circumstances, cause insufficient zinc intake resulting in severe zinc deficiency syndrome with characteristic dermatological features. Therapy consists of temporary oral zinc supplementation at a daily dose of 50 mumol/kg.
ISSN:0340-6199
1432-1076
DOI:10.1007/bf01972977