[Carotenodermia: an erroneous diagnosis of jaundice].
Carotenoids are essential pigments in vegetal photosynthetic processes, but they also have important biological functions in animal physiology: beta carotene in particular represents provitamin A. The accumulation of carotenoids in a man results in a cutaneous hyperpigmentation very similar to jaundice: usually this happens in vegetarian subjects after an excessive food eating. In the described case, a situation similar to jaundice appeared in a 56 years old man affected by psychic disorders, his diet consisted for several years almost exclusively of eggs (an average of 27 eggs a day). As this type of food is very rich in carotenoids (especially lutein giving to yolk the characteristic colour), it is inevitable that, in addition to hypercholesterolemia, a consistent amount of carotenodermia is present. This recalls the possible antiaterogenal action of carotenoids.
Pinto
F
F
Unità Operativa di Medicina Generale, Ospedale, Vittorio Veneto.
Mognol
D
D
Garbelotto
G
G
Dannhäuser
D
D
Grava
G
G
Sanzuol
F
F
D002338:Carotenoids; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D004032:Diet; D004531:Eggs; D006801:Humans; D007565:Jaundice / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010859:Pigmentation Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology
D002338:Carotenoids