Investigating the frequency of skin manifestation in newborns admitted to a Children's Hospital in the North of Iran

Abstract

Skin manifestations, a common problem in infants, can be a serious concern for parents. Most manifestations are benign and transient, but some of them need more evaluation regarding whether they can negatively affect infant health. In this study, it is aimed to evaluate the frequency of skin manifestation in newborns admitted to the department of newborns and NICU from 2019 to 2020. This cross-sectional was performed on infants hospitalized in the department of pediatrics and NICU of a pediatric hospital in Guilan, Iran, from 2019 to 2020. The sampling was performed using the census method. The information was gathered using a checklist of infant and mother characteristics. Out of 323 newborns, 164 cases had skin lesions (50.8%). The lesions of Erythema toxicum, Cutis marmorata, Diaper dermatitis, Milia, salmon patch, and Mongolian spots were presented at 14.9%, 9.9%, 8.1%, 5.6%, 4.3%, and 2.8%, respectively. Only 5.38% of infants required treatment. There was no significant relationship between skin lesions and demographic factors of gestational age, type of delivery, or the family history of dermatological diseases. The rate of skin lesions was moderate to high in hospitalized newborns. In addition, Erythema toxicum, Cutis marmorata, Diaper dermatitis, Salmon patch, and Mongolian spots were more prevalent in infants. These findings can help pediatric physicians effectively in their early diagnosis and therapeutic procedures.