Papulosquamous disorders: essential fatty acid deficiency: practice question

A Dermatology question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Dermatology · Papulosquamous disorders: essential fatty acid deficiency

Sample item

A patient on prolonged total parenteral nutrition without lipid emulsion develops dry scaly dermatitis, diffuse hair thinning and delayed wound healing, with thrombocytopenia. What is the underlying deficiency?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid

Essential fatty acid deficiency arises in prolonged fat-free parenteral nutrition or severe fat malabsorption and causes dry scaly dermatitis, alopecia, poor wound healing and thrombocytopenia. Linoleic acid is the main fatty acid lacking, and it is corrected with lipid emulsion or topical oils such as sunflower oil.

Option by option

  • A. Linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid (correct)

    Correct. Lack of linoleic acid explains the scaly dermatitis and alopecia in fat-free feeding.

  • B. Zinc

    Zinc deficiency gives periorificial and acral dermatitis, diarrhoea and alopecia.

  • C. Niacin

    Niacin deficiency gives pellagra with photosensitive dermatitis, diarrhoea and dementia.

  • D. Vitamin C

    Vitamin C deficiency gives perifollicular haemorrhage, corkscrew hairs and bleeding gums.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Dermatology question

What is the answer to this Dermatology question?

The best answer is A, Linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid. Essential fatty acid deficiency arises in prolonged fat-free parenteral nutrition or severe fat malabsorption and causes dry scaly dermatitis, alopecia, poor wound healing and thrombocytopenia.

Why is "Zinc" not the answer?

Zinc deficiency gives periorificial and acral dermatitis, diarrhoea and alopecia.

Why is "Niacin" not the answer?

Niacin deficiency gives pellagra with photosensitive dermatitis, diarrhoea and dementia.

Why is "Vitamin C" not the answer?

Vitamin C deficiency gives perifollicular haemorrhage, corkscrew hairs and bleeding gums.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Papulosquamous disorders: essential fatty acid deficiency in Dermatology. Linoleic acid is the main fatty acid lacking, and it is corrected with lipid emulsion or topical oils such as sunflower oil.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Papulosquamous disorders: essential fatty acid deficiency?

Learn each condition by its primary lesion, site and signature sign. Then use the flashcards and the other Dermatology questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.