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  • Perinatal/Neonatal Case Presentation
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Perinatal/Neonatal Case Presentation

Subcutaneous fat necrosis associated with severe hypocalcaemia in a neonate

Journal of Perinatology volume 26, pages 64–66 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Subcutaneous fat necrosis (SFN) of the newborn is an uncommon disorder of the adipose tissue, mostly affecting full-term or post-term newborns who experience perinatal distress. The lesions of SFN typically occur during the first six weeks of life; they are usually self-limited and no specific therapy is required. The disorder may be rarely complicated with hypercalcaemia. We present the case of a neonate with perinatal asphyxia who manifested SFN followed by hypocalcaemia instead of hypercalcaemia and a biochemical profile of pseudohypoparathyroidism four weeks after the eruption of skin lesions. The infant was treated with alfacalcidiol. Blood biochemistry was normalized within one week and serum parathyroid hormone levels declined to normal over the next two months. It is suggested that perinatal asphyxia was the common etiopathogenetic factor for the development of both SFN and pseudohypoparathyroidism.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. First Department of Pediatrics, Athens University, ‘Aghia Sofia’ Childrens' Hospital, Athens, Greece

    K Karochristou, T Siahanidou, T Kakourou-Tsivitanidou, K Stefanaki & H Mandyla

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  1. K Karochristou
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  2. T Siahanidou
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  3. T Kakourou-Tsivitanidou
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  4. K Stefanaki
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  5. H Mandyla
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Correspondence to T Siahanidou.

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Karochristou, K., Siahanidou, T., Kakourou-Tsivitanidou, T. et al. Subcutaneous fat necrosis associated with severe hypocalcaemia in a neonate. J Perinatol 26, 64–66 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7211415

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