Zinc therapy for the diagnosis and treatment of acrodermatitis enteropathica.

The therapeutic effect of orally administered zinc sulphate was evaluated in 16 patients with acrodermatitis enteropathica [AE]. Zinc serum levels in these patients and apparently healthy close relatives to patients [the control group] were estimated by atomic absorption spectrophotometric technique. The present study was found a low zinc serum levels in all patients with AE compared to the control group [p<0.001]. Oral zinc sulphate therapy resulted in rapid and complete clinical response. The study concluded that zinc therapy could be used as a diagnostic test as the basic treatment of AE