[Collodion baby: 32 new case reports]

Abstract

A critical study of 69 cases of collodion baby observed between 1976 and 1984 is compared with the study conducted in 1976. These 69 cases are divided into 32 examined by the authors personally and 37 published in the literature. The total number of collodion babies is 267. A collodion baby is a high risk newborn who must be nursed in a specialized intensive care unit during the neonatal period. The vital prognosis has been improved by the prevention of metabolic disorders (dehydration with hypernatraemia) and of percutaneous intoxication with topical products, and by the early treatment of infections. The mortality rate, which was 33 p. 100 in 1976, had fallen to 11 p. 100 in 1984. Skin infection with systemic spread remains the major complication (the present situation is summarized in table II). The collodion baby is the neonatal expression of different disorders of keratinization and as such, constitutes a syndrome. Several conclusions can be drawn from a comparison of the keratinization disorders observed in our two series (table VI). Congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma and lamellar ichthyosis are responsible for 60 p. 100 of collodion babies. These two lesions may be the first signs of an ichthyosis transmitted as an autosomal dominant trait in 9.7 p. 100 of the cases. Trichothiodystrophy may be heralded by a collodion baby syndrome. In 9.7 p. 100 of the cases this syndrome disappears without sequelae. Sex-linked ichthyosis never begins with a collodion baby syndrome.