VIÊM DA THIẾU KẼM: BÁO CÁO CA BỆNH HIẾM GẶP VÀ DỄ BỎ SÓT

Abstract

Objective: To describe the clinical, paraclinical, and treatment characteristics of a case of zinc deficiency dermatitis in an adult at Hanoi Dermatology Hospital. Subjects and Methods: Case report study. The patient was a 24-year-old male with a healthy medical history. For the past 2 months, he had frequently engaged in irregular activities, eating convenience foods, smoking, drinking carbonated beverages, and staying up late. The patient sought medical attention due to red patches on his scalp, neck, chest, and left arm, without accompanying digestive disorders or hair loss. Initially, the patient was diagnosed with seborrheic dermatitis on the head and self-induced dermatitis on the neck, chest, and left arm, requiring differentiation from many chronic skin diseases: psoriasis, acquired epidermolysis bullosa, tinea, impetigo, and microbial eczema. Pathological examination of two sites, the scalp and left arm, yielded similar results: complete necrosis of the superficial epidermis, and spongiosis in the regenerating epidermis, consistent with zinc deficiency dermatitis. The patient was treated and responded completely to zinc supplementation therapy. Results: The patient was diagnosed with zinc deficiency dermatitis, which can be easily confused with various common and rare chronic skin conditions. Treatment involves local skin lesion care, zinc supplementation, and lifestyle changes, combined with screening for primary causes. Conclusion: Zinc deficiency dermatitis is a rare disease that is often overlooked in adults. The disease has atypical clinical manifestations and can be easily confused with many other dermatological conditions. This report contributes to emphasizing the role of micronutrient cause in difficult-to-diagnose or refractory dermatitis.