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Adult scurvy.

J V Hirschmann¹, G J Raugi

¹Puget Sound Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the University of Washington School of Medicine, USA.

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology

|November 26, 1999

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Humans cannot produce vitamin C (ascorbic acid), requiring it from diet. Scurvy, a deficiency disease, presents with fatigue, skin issues, and gum problems, but is rapidly treated with vitamin C.

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Area of Science:

Biochemistry
Human Physiology
Nutritional Science

Background:

Humans, unlike most animals, cannot synthesize ascorbic acid (vitamin C) from glucose, necessitating dietary intake.
Vitamin C deficiency leads to scurvy, a condition historically linked to poor nutrition, alcoholism, and social isolation.

Observation:

Scurvy symptoms manifest after prolonged vitamin C deprivation, beginning with fatigue.
Cutaneous manifestations include follicular hyperkeratosis, perifollicular hemorrhages, ecchymoses, xerosis, edema, and impaired wound healing.
Oral symptoms involve gingival swelling and hemorrhage; musculoskeletal pain and bleeding into joints can occur, with severe cases leading to syncope and death.

Findings:

Anemia is a frequent comorbidity, while leukopenia is occasional.

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Treatment with vitamin C supplementation leads to swift and significant clinical improvement.

Implications:

Understanding scurvy's clinical spectrum is crucial for timely diagnosis and intervention.
Recognizing risk factors aids in preventing this deficiency disease.
Prompt vitamin C repletion is key to reversing scurvy's effects.