title: Disturbed skin barrier in children with chronic kidney disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are limited data on skin lesions in children with end-stage renal failure. The aim of the study was an evaluation of the skin barrier in children with different stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The prevalence of xerosis, its severity, as well as its link selected demographic factors, were examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 103 children: 72 with CKD stages 3-5 (38 on conservative treatment and 34 on dialysis) and 31 patients with primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis as a control group. Initially, the study subjects described the localisation and severity of dry skin by themselves. Next, clinical evaluation of xerosis, non-invasive corneometric assessment of epidermis moisturising and the measurement of transepidermal water loss were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most CKD children reported dry skin. The problem of xerosis was identified more frequently in patients on dialysis (67.6 %) than on conservative treatment (42.1 %) (p = 0.01). CKD patients divided according to skin dryness did not differ with regards to age, sex, initial kidney disease and CKD duration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Disturbed skin barrier is an important concern of children with CKD, intensifying as the disease progresses. This symptom occurs on early stages of CKD and it should be taken into consideration in the CKD management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Regional Specialist Hospital, Center for Research and Development, Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Elzbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wojtowicz-Prus
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kilis-Pstrusinska
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reich
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zachwieja
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miklaszewska
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szczepanska
authors.forename: Jacek C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Szepietowski
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*