Characterization Of Skin Signs And Appendages In Children Under 5 Years With Severe Malnutrition

The study conducted at the Hospital Militar Universitario “Dr. Carlos Arvelo” evaluated skin and nail signs in 28 children under 5 years with severe malnutrition. The majority of participants were male (64.28%) and aged between 1 and 24 months, with an average age of 9.21 months. Common skin manifestations included changes in pigmentation (31.48%) and extreme thinness (16.66%). Other observed conditions were ichthyosis (7.40%), pityriasis alba (18.51%), angular cheilitis (9.25%), perifollicular dermatitis (5.55%), skin scaling (7.40%), and mucosal skin pallor (3.70%). Hair was predominantly dry, fine, and brittle (37.93%), with telogen effluvium occurring in 27.58% of cases. Fragile nails were present in 46.43% of the children, and thin nails in 32.14%. The study concludes that nutritional deficiencies lead to diverse skin manifestations, with pigmentation changes and extreme thinness being the most common signs.