Zink deficiency and odd CF diagnosis

[Guest guest]

Hi Lori D,

here is another goodie for your website about CF diagnosis. And it

reminded me of the fact, that zinc deficiency ia not that rare in

pwcf. Since zinc plays an important role in the respiratory system we

check the zinc level in Fiona's blood every two years.

Peace

Torsten

© Springer-Verlag 2002

Original Paper

Acrodermatitis enteropathica-like eruption as the presenting sign of

cystic fibrosis - case report and review of the literature

Crone1, , Wolf-Dietrich Huber1, Irmgard Eichler1 and Gerhard

Granditsch1

(1) Universitätsklinik für Kinder- und Jugendheilkunde, Waehringer

Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria

Abstract. In most patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), pulmonary

symptoms are the first sign of presentation. Another predominant

feature is maldigestion, frequently starting in early childhood.

Pancreatic exocrine dysfunction causes maldigestion, characterised by

failure to thrive, diarrhoea, hypoproteinaemia, oedema and anaemia.

Dermatitis may be the initial manifestation in just a few patients

with CF. We report on a patient presenting with refractory dermatitis

resembling acrodermatitis enteropathica as the first sign of CF at

the age of 4 months, but without pulmonary symptoms. Laboratory

findings demonstrated anaemia, hypoproteinaemia and zinc deficiency.

Peroral zinc substitution resulted in resolution of the dermatitis

within a few days. A further work-up revealed a positive sweat test

and homozygosity for the F-580 mutation. Conclusion: in rare cases,

acrodermatitis enteropathica-like dermatitis is the first symptom of

cystic fibrosis.

Keywords. Acrodermatitis enteropathica - Cystic fibrosis - Protein-

energy-malnutrition

Abbreviations. AE acrodermatitis enteropathica CF cystic fibrosis PEM

protein-energy-malnutrition

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