[Cutaneous manifestations observed during prolonged intravenous feeding: 3 cases. Review of the literature (author's transl)].

3 patients (one infant and two adults) in prolonged intravenous feeding for digestive diseases developed cutaneous symptoms resembling acrodermatitis enteropathica. Essential fatty acid and hypozincemia (in 2 of 3 cases) are found. The dermatitis disappeared slowly with oral alimentation in 2 cases, and in a few days in the third one, with oral zinc sulfate. Review of literature shows that dermatitis occurring during prolonged intravenous feeding is attributed to essential fatty acid, zinc, or less often amino acid, deficiency. But resemblance of dermatitis with acrodermatitis enteropathica in most cases, high frequency of hypozincemia, and dramatic effects of treatment with zinc salts allow to think, that zinc is a key factor. Nevertheless, it is necessary to study simultaneously those different parameters and also vitamins A, E and B to conclude whether it exists or not many deficiencies (related or not) as an etiologic factor for cutaneous symptoms.