Cutaneous manifestations in neonates: A 1-year cross-sectional study in a tertiary care hospital

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Skin lesions in neonatal period range from transient self-limiting conditions to serious dermatoses requiring specific therapies. They can cause significant psychological distress to parents. The awareness of the fact that most of these conditions are benign and transient is important so that parents can be reassured. Since studies on neonatal dermatoses are limited, this study has been planned to know the spectrum of cutaneous lesions in neonates, both physiological and pathological.MATERIALS AND METHODS: All neonates <28 days old, attending KLEs Dr. Prabhakar Kore Hospital and MRC, Belgaum, were recruited into the study. Newborns admitted in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit were excluded from the study. A written informed consent was obtained from the mother. The study design was nonrandomized cross-sectional study. A sample size calculation was done using the Chi-square test. Analysis of data was performed by STATA 11.2. An Ethical Committee clearance was obtained before the start of the study.RESULTS: One hundred and four neonates were enrolled in the study, out of which 49 (47%) neonates were male and 55 (53%) were female. Fifty-one (49%) neonates were born through normal vaginal delivery and 53 (51%) by cesarean section. Three (2.88%) neonates were born preterm, 5 (4.81%) post-term, and 96 (92.31%) neonates were born at term. Ninty-nine (95%) had physiological changes and 5 (5%) had pathological changes. The most common physiological change observed was mongolian spot in 34 (33%) of neonates followed by erythema toxicum neonatorum in 27 (26%) neonates and physiological desquamation in 21 (20%). Other less common physiological skin changes observed were milia, miliaria, hypertrichosis lanuginosa, vernix caseosa, and sebaceous gland hyperplasia. Pathological skin changes were observed in only five neonates, out of which one had bullous impetigo, one had birth trauma, 1 had furunculosis, 1 had intertrigo, and 1 was a collodion baby.CONCLUSION: Skin changes in newborn are very common. However, majority are physiological and transient requiring no treatment.