A Rare Case of Chronic Acrodermatitis Enteropathica Persisting and Recurring in the Adult Age

Abstract

BACKGROUNDAcrodermatitis Enteropathica is a disorder of defective absorption of Zinc (1) that is inherited by an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance, characterised by a clinical triad of acral dermatitis, alopecia and diarrhoea. In majority of the patients, symptoms settle down at the time of puberty. Very rarely in certain cases, symptoms persist into the adult age, wherein it is underdiagnosed because of non-specific symptoms. We report a 26-year-old male with inherited zinc deficiency to highlight the persistence of isolated zinc deficiency into adult age, and also to stress the need of choosing the right chelating agent for the administration of oral elemental zinc, the combination of which crucially decides the better bioavailability of zinc, that could vary depending upon the chelating agent and genetically predetermined factors of the client.