OBJECTIVE: To address the clinical presentation of cystic fibrosis (CF) in an infant presenting Kwashiorkor along with coagulation disturbance due to vitamin K deficiency. CASE DESCRIPTION: A female baby aged three and a half months, born at term, with birth weight of 2655g, and height of 46cm, was referred to a university center due to perineal moniliasis refractory to therapy, including antifungal drugs and corticosteroids. She had poor weight gain, edema, and diarrhea. After hospital admission under the diagnostic hypothesis of Kwashiorkor of primary or secondary origin, the child received exclusive breastfeeding, but lost weight and maintained the diarrhea. At admission, a urinary tract infection was detected and treated. The child developed bleeding of upper digestive tract and phlebotomy incision at the right saphenous vein treated with vitamin K and fresh frozen plasma. Laboratory exams showed steatorrhea and hypoalbuminemia. Serology was negative for syphilis, toxoplasmosis, mononucleosis, cytomegalovirus, rubella, HIV and hepatitis B. Heterozygous ∆F508 mutation for CF was positive. The patient died with a septic shock. Necropsy showed that the septic shock had a pulmonary origin and that malnutrition was secondary to cystic fibrosis of pancreas. COMMENTS: CF may have a clinical presentation as Kwashiorkor with coagulation disturbance caused by vitamin K deficiency. Health professionals should be aware of this possibility in the differential diagnosis of infants with severe malnutrition and edema.
cystic fibrosis; Kwashiorkor; vitamin K; malnutrition
