Acquired Zinc Deficiency

In 1976, a 20-year-old male patient who was on long-term total parenteral nutrition developed severe zinc deficiency, marked by low serum and hair zinc levels and skin lesions characteristic of acrodermatitis enteropathica. This case was the first to highlight the association between long-term parenteral nutrition and zinc deficiency, indicating the importance of trace element supplementation in such nutritional regimens. The patient's clinical improvement was directly linked to zinc supplementation, despite receiving other trace elements like copper, manganese, and iodide. His chronic gastrointestinal issues and zinc loss due to fistulas likely exacerbated the deficiency. This case emphasized the potential for trace element deficiencies in patients receiving long-term parenteral nutrition without adequate supplementation.