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[Nutritional copper deficiency. Apropos of a case]
Annales De Pediatrie
|April 1, 1989
Summary
Copper deficiency in infants can cause severe bone and neurological issues, especially in premature babies on long-term parenteral nutrition. Early copper supplementation is crucial for recovery and preventing complications.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Medicine
- Nutritional Science
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Premature infants with gastrointestinal anomalies requiring long-term parenteral nutrition are at risk for micronutrient deficiencies.
- Copper deficiency can manifest with severe skeletal, neurological, and hematological complications.
Observation:
- A five-month-old premature infant with an abdominal wall defect and small bowel fistula presented with diffuse osteoporosis, delayed bone age, fractures, edema with pseudoparalysis, neurological abnormalities, anemia, and leukoneutropenia.
- Serum copper and ceruloplasmin levels were critically low.
Findings:
- Initiation of copper supplementation rapidly resolved clinical, hematological, and biological abnormalities.
- Radiographic bone changes showed significant improvement within four months of supplementation.
Implications:
- Identifies specific risk factors for copper deficiency in infants, including prematurity, gastrointestinal losses, and exclusive parenteral nutrition (EPN).
- Highlights the necessity of early and continuous copper supplementation in high-risk infants, particularly those on EPN.
- Recommends periodic monitoring of serum copper levels in at-risk pediatric populations.