Zinc treatment in acrodermatitis enteropathica.

Abstract

Acrodermatitis enteropathica is an inherited autosomal recessive disorder, due to a defective utilization of zinc, as shown for the first time by Moynahan and Barnes in an Apulian girl affected by the disorder. Zinc is an element entering many enzymes of the protein synthesis and thus it is essential mainly for rapidly growing tissues. Many Authors believe that zinc treatment should be continued throughout life. However, the dose necessary to control the symptoms of the disorder progressively decrease with time and in some patient after puberty we can completely withdraw zinc treatment. As shown by this case, the skin signs reappear first, when the level of zinc goes down a certain threshold.