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Zinc deficiency manifested by dermatitis and visual dysfunction in a patient with Crohn's disease
S J Myung1, S K Yang, H Y Jung
1Department of Internal Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Journal of Gastroenterology
|December 16, 1998
Summary
Low zinc levels in Crohn's disease can cause skin and vision problems. Supplementing with zinc helped a patient recover from these symptoms, highlighting zinc's importance in managing Crohn's disease complications.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Nutritional Science
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease.
- Nutritional deficiencies, including zinc, can occur in Crohn's disease patients.
- Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) can sometimes lead to micronutrient deficiencies.
Observation:
- A 26-year-old woman with Crohn's disease presented with acrodermatitis enteropathica (a skin condition) and reduced visual acuity.
- These symptoms developed during a period of TPN.
- Serum zinc concentration was found to be low.
Findings:
- Intravenous zinc supplementation was administered.
- The patient experienced significant improvement in skin lesions.
- Visual acuity also improved following zinc supplementation.
Implications:
- This case suggests that low serum zinc in Crohn's disease can manifest as acrodermatitis enteropathica and retinal dysfunction.
- Zinc supplementation may be a viable therapeutic strategy for correcting these specific clinical manifestations.
- Further research into the role of zinc in managing Crohn's disease-associated complications is warranted.