John Libbey Eurotext




Transient zinc deficiency in a breast fed, premature infant
European Journal of Dermatology. Volume 16, Number 2, 193-5, March-April 2006, Clinical report
Free Article
Author(s) : Sónia Coelho, Bárbara Fernandes, Fernanda Rodrigues, José Pedro Reis, Ana Moreno, Américo Figueiredo
Summary : A 5-month-old-male was observed for an acrodermatitis enteropathica-like skin eruption evolving since the second month. He was born prematurely at 27 weeks and his neonatal course was complicated by respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis and subependimary haemorrhage. He was fed with breast milk from the second day of life, fortified initially by a protein mineral supplement containing zinc. Serum zinc concentration was low and the mother’s serum and milk had normal zinc values. Oral zinc supplementation was introduced with total clearing after three weeks. Treatment lasted 22 months and no relapse was observed after discontinuation. Premature infants have a negative zinc balance mainly secondary to inadequate stores and high requirements. The relevance of these factors is illustrated by the present case where symptomatic zinc deficiency developed despite maternal milk with normal zinc content and a milk fortifier containing zinc.
Keywords : human milk, premature infants, symptomatic zinc deficiency

Transient zinc deficiency in a breast fed, premature infant