Overview of dermatologic disorders of neonates in a central regional intensive care unit in Hungary.

The immaturity and vulnerability of the skin and epidermal barrier function and the frequent iatrogenic complications following diagnostic and therapeutic procedures are often associated with skin manifestations in infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The aim of the current study was to investigate dermatologic disorders in neonates in our NICU. A prospective cohort study was conducted in the NICU at the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Szeged between January 2012 and January 2013. All full- and preterm infants hospitalized in the NICU underwent whole-body skin examinations and all dermatologic disorders and treatment modalities were recorded. Eighty-nine dermatologic conditions were detected in 64 of the 211 neonates admitted to the NICU. A wide variety of clinical symptoms accompanied these conditions in these preterm and severely ill full-term infants. A considerable proportion of the disorders that were seen resulted from the immaturity of the skin and various iatrogenic complications. Dermatologic disorders are frequent in neonates requiring intensive care. Prevention, early detection, and optimal treatment of these disorders with modern, standardized skin care management strategies can result in significant improvements in barrier function and in the integrity of the skin, increasing the overall efficacy of neonatal intensive care.