[Cu deficiency as a cause of spontaneous fracture in a premature infant].
We report on a male preterm infant of 25th week of gestation, who developed a spontaneous fracture of the right femur at an age of four months. Besides an "impressed" fracture radiologically a generalized osteopenia of the skeleton and cupped metaphysis alterations were observed. An alimentary copper deficiency could be diagnosed. Additionally clinical signs were repeated apneic episodes, anaemia, neutropenia and a low serum level of both coeruloplasmin and copper. We substituted the patient orally with CuCl2 (1.2 mumol/kg/KG/d) over a period of four months resulting in a complete healing of the fracture and an improvement of the other clinical symptoms and laboratory alterations.
Pontz
B F
BF
Kinderklinik der Technischen Universität München.
Herwig
J
J
Greinacher
I
I
D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000209:etiology*; D003300:Copper / Q000172:deficiency*; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000209:etiology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005598:Fractures, Spontaneous / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food / Q000032:analysis; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male
D003300:Copper
Cu-Mangel als Ursache einer Spontanfraktur bei einem Frühgeborenen.