title: Skin disorders in the neonatal intensive care unit of a central hospital.
abstract: Cutaneous abnormalities in the newborn are usually benign and transitory. However, they may sometimes be extremely distressing both for parents and the medical staff, presenting with significant morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to access the clinical features of different skin disorders in a series of newborns, at a level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in the Northern Region of Portugal, and review some of the most impressive cases. Between January 1997 and December 2010, 27 patients were found to have an important cutaneous condition that required admission to the NICU. The most frequent presentations were vesicles and pustules (n=8; 29.6%), followed by erythroderma (n=7; 25.9%), atrophic (n=5; 18.5%) and vascular lesions (n=4; 14.8%). Four (14.8%) patients died in the neonatal period, and further 4 afterwards. Genetic studies, when available, revealed three chromosomal disorders and 6 gene mutations. Overall, skin disorders were not a leading cause of NICU admission (0.43%), but were associated with significant morbidity and mortality.
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Hospital S. João, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal. ligiasperalta@gmail.com
authors.forename: Lígia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Peralta
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Paulo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Morais
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mota
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Magina
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lisboa
authors.forename: Hercília
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Guimarães
mesh_terms: D003873:Dermatitis, Exfoliative / Q000151:congenital / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D004476:Ectodermal Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000151:congenital / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D019339:Port-Wine Stain / Q000175:diagnosis; D011174:Portugal; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000151:congenital* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology