Nutrition And The Skin Flashcards
What is a food allergy?
Symptoms are caused by an immune reaction, usually IgE
mediated, but sometimes non-IgE (thought to be T-cell mediated but not well understood).
What is a food intolerance?
Describes a non-immune reaction, e.g. lactose intolerance where there is lactase enzyme deficiency leading to poor breakdown of lactose in the gastro-intestinal tract and
the excess unabsorbed lactose results in symptoms
What are direct skin manifestations of obesity?
Associated with insulin resistance:
- Acanthosis nigricans
- skin tags (acrochordons)
Linked to hyper-androgenism (increased male hormone levels due to increased fat production)
- hirsutism
- acne
- hidradenitis suppurativa
- androgenetic alopecia
Rapid weight gain or pregnancy:
- stretch marks
What are skin diseases which are aggravated by obesity?
- lymphoedema => skin becomes thick and warty, lower leg becomes permanently enlarged
- Chronic venous insufficiency => may cause skin ulceration - venous (stasis) ulceration
- skin infections => bacterial;, fungal and yeast (esp. skin folds )
- interigo => macerated red plaques in skin folds
- psoriasis = (link not clear)
Why might there be nutritional deficiency?
- Dietary inadequacy e.g. infants, food faddists and eating disorders
- bowel malabsorption e.g. inflammatory bowel disease or following bowel surgery
- concomitant drugs may affect availability for absorption
What is Marasmus?
Global nutrient deficiency causing weight loss by fat breakdown - it is a protein energy malnutrition (PEM).
The child is very thin with muscle wasting. There is no oedema. The skin is dry, wrinkled and loose from subcutaneous fat and muscle loss. Hair is thin, brittle and falls outs easily causing alopecia.
What is Kwashiorkor?
Thought to be caused by very low protein intake (PEM) with reasonable carbohydrate intake.
There is oedema and children often develop an
enlarged “pot belly”.
Skin shows irregular or patchy discolouration caused by pigmentary change. Dark, dry skin may split when stretched, revealing pale areas between the cracks (crazy paving dermatosis).
What is the skin manifestation of Vitamin A deficiency?
Keratotic follicular (i.e. hair follicles) papules on the thighs and upper arms, dry skin
What is the presentation of Vitamin K deficiency?
Bleeding tendency, seen in skin as purpura and easy bruising
What is the skin manifestation of Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) deficiency?
Lesions of the margins of the lips (cheilosis) and corners of the mouth (angularstomatitis)
Painful, red, dry tongue
What is the skin manifestation of Vitamin B5 (Niacin) deficiency?
- Pellagra (endemic in areas with high grain /low meat diet e.g. Indo-China)
- Dermatitis – bilateral, symmetrical, itchy, red rash, worse on sun exposed areas, e.g.hands with blistering, tongue and lip
inflammation. - Delirium – headaches, irritability, anxiety, depression and memory impairment
- Diarrhoea – with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting
- Death – in 4-5 years if not treat
What is the skin manifestation of Vitamin B6 deficiency?
Dermatitis of face, scalp, neck, shoulders, buttocks and perineum, tongue inflammation (glossitis)
What is the skin manifestation of Vitamin B12 and folate deficiency?
Aaemia, angular stomatitis, glossitis, hair depigmentation, skin and mucous membrane pigmentation.
Neurological symptoms with B12 deficiency
What is the skin manifestation of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) deficiency?
Hyperkeratosis around hair follicles, bent hairs, inflamed gums, poor wound healing
Also fatigue, malaise, muscle and bone pain.
What is the skin manifestation of Biotin deficiency?
Rare – usually only seen in malabsorptive states or inadequate parenteral nutrition.
Facial dermatitis, glossitis, alopecia
