A child with congenital ichthyosis is at risk for nutritional deficiencies. Rodriguez-Manchon et al studied children with ichthyosis for risk factors for malnutrition and its consequences. The authors are from Hospital Infantil Universitario Nino Jesus in Madrid, Spain.
Patient selection: congenital ichthyosis (a heterozygous group of conditions with mutations in over 50 genes)
Reasons for malnutrition: unclear. It may be related to excess water loss through the skin and/or chronic cutaneous hyperplasia and/or chronic inflammation/infections.
Nutritional deficiencies may be present at an early age, so early assessment is important.
Clinical findings in children with nutritional deficiencies:
(1) growth retardation
Risk factors for nutritional deficiencies:
(1) severe ichthyosis
(2) age <= 5 years
Nutritional deficiencies may include:
(1) selenium
(2) other micronutrients
(3) vitamin D
(4) zinc
Recommended laboratory testing: CBC, prothrombin time, serum calcium, serum magnesium, serum potassium, serum phosphorous, serum CRP, serum immunoglobulin concentrations, serum albumin, prealbumin, iron, vitamins, selenium, zinc, other micronutritients
Obesity can also be a problem in a small percentage of patients.
