Case report of a girl with secondary amenorrhea associated with aurantiasis cutis

• Introduction: --- Aurantiasis cutis is a condition of yellowish or golden skin discoloration that can result from eating excessive amounts of foods containing carotene leading to hypercarotenemia(1), described causing secondary amenorrhea(2). Objective & hypothesis: --- Hypercarotenemia can cause secondary amenorrhea without overconsumption of excessive quantities of carotene. Results: --- Laboratory tests showed a ß-Carotene level more than the 2-fold above the upper reference level. Hyperbilirubinemia could be excluded. Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism was not present. There was no evidence for adrenal dysfunction. Liver function tests were normal. Material/ Methods: --- A 16-year-old girl presented to our endocrine outpatient clinic with a 2-year history of varying yellow discoloration of her skin and secondary amenorrhea. The findings of the general physical examination were normal, but there was a marked yellow discoloration of the palms, soles, and nasolabial folds. A dietary history revealed a low carotene diet, but also a low carbohydrate diet. BMI was 19.9 kg/m² (-0.2 SDS) without signs of anorexia. Discussion: --- In this girl we observed hypercarotenemia associated with secondary nonhypothalamic amenorrhea in absence of excess external intake of carotenes. This suggests an intrinsic reason due to a polymorphism(3) in ß-carotene 15,15'-monooxygenase (BCO)(4), an enzyme breaking down carotenes to vitamin A(5). Phenotype-genotype association studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis. Conclusion: --- Secondary non-hypothalamic amenorrhea can be associated with hypercarotenemia. References: --- 1. Tanikawa K, Seta K, Machii A, Itoh S 1961 [Aurantiasis cutis due to overeating of dried laver (nori): a case report]. Jpn J Med Sci Biol 50:414-419 2. Kemmann E, Pasquale SA, Skaf R 1983 Amenorrhea associated with carotenemia. JAMA 249:926-929 3. Leung WC, Hessel S, Meplan C, Flint J, Oberhauser V, Tourniaire F, Hesketh JE, von Lintig J, Lietz G 2009 Two common single nucleotide polymorphisms in the gene encoding beta-carotene 15,15'-monoxygenase alter beta-carotene metabolism in female volunteers. FASEB j 23:1041-1053 4. Frumar AM, Meldrum DR, Judd HL 1979 Hypercarotenemia in hypothalamic amenorrhea. Fertil Steril 32:261-264 5. Lindqvist A, Andersson S 2002 Biochemical properties of purified recombinant human beta-carotene 15,15'-monooxygenase. J Biol Chem 277:23942-23948

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Klinisk laboratoriemedicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Clinical Laboratory Medicine (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Pediatrik (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Pediatrics (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Reproduktionsmedicin och gynekologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Endokrinologi och diabetes (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Endocrinology and Diabetes (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Dermatologi och venereologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Dermatology and Venereal Diseases (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Hypercarotenemia Secondary non-hypothalamic amenorrhea ß-Carotene Aurantiasis cutis ß-carotene 15

15'-monooxygenase (BCO) yellow discoloration of the skin

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

kon (subject category)