Clinical zinc deficiency during adequate enteral nutrition.

Deficiency of zinc (Zn), resulting in characteristic skin changes resembling those seen in acrodermatitis enteropathica, has been reported in patients on total parenteral nutrition, but rarely in patients on long-term enteral feeding. Reported here is a patient who developed characteristic skin changes while he was receiving what was considered to be a balanced liquid enteral diet. The skin rash resolved with Zn supplementation.