Oral biotin treatment is effective for atopic dermatitis in children with low biotinidase activity.

Abstract

Clinical features of biotinidase deficiency in childhood are highlighted by various neurological and cultaneous manifestations (1, 2). The skin changes are indistinguishable from those of atopic dermatitis, however, they respond to biotin treatment (3) . We describe four patients with atopic dermatitis who were found to have low serum biotinidase activity and in whom oral biotin led to a dramatic improvement of the skin lesions.