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Query: UMLS:C0036474 (scurvy)
 685 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Scurvy is rarely diagnosed in our society today. The authors describe the case of a 31-year-old man with weakness, gingival pain, and a rash over the lower extremities. He had a history of poor nutritional intake, no alcohol consumption, and a 13 pack-year history of cigarette smoking. Laboratory studies revealed an extremely deficient serum ascorbic acid level. Treatment was begun with oral ascorbic acid tablets and, within 3 days after discharge, all clinical symptoms of scurvy had resolved. Scurvy is an easily treated disease and should be considered when there is an appropriate history and classic clinical findings. Because vitamin C deficiency can be seen in many chronic disease states, it is important to recognize some of the early features and clinical manifestations of such nutritional deficiencies.
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PMID:Scurvy in a nonalcoholic person in the United States. 148 83

It has been suggested that early features of scurvy (fatigue and weakness) may be attributed to carnitine deficiency. Ascorbate is a cofactor for two alpha-ketoglutarate-requiring dioxygenase reactions (epsilon-N-trimethyllysine hydroxylase and gamma-butyrobetaine hydroxylase) in the pathway of carnitine biosynthesis. Carnitine concentrations are variably low in some tissues of scorbutic guinea pigs. Ascorbic acid deficiency in guinea pigs resulted in decreased activity of hepatic gamma-butyrobetaine hydroxylase and renal but not hepatic epsilon-N-trimethyllsine hydroxylase when exogenous substrates were provided. It remains unclear whether vitamin C deficiency has a significant impact on the overall rate of carnitine synthesis from endogenous substrates. Nevertheless, results of studies of enzyme preparations and perfused liver in vitro and of scorbutic guinea pigs in vivo provide compelling evidence for participation of ascorbic acid in carnitine biosynthesis.
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PMID:Ascorbic acid and carnitine biosynthesis. 196 62

Scurvy was diagnosed in 19 rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) and four squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) from a colony of nonhuman primates maintained on a commercial diet. Signs of weakness, reluctance to move, gingival hemorrhage, bruising, proximal and distal metaphyseal fractures, weight loss and anemia appeared in juvenile and young adult rhesus monkeys over a 2 week period. Clinical signs subsided after 5 days of vitamin C therapy. At the same time, cephalohematomas and weakness developed in squirrel monkeys, which failed to respond to treatment. These cases were associated with manufacturer's admitted error in preparation of the commercially prepared monkey diet.
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PMID:Vitamin C deficiency in captive nonhuman primates fed commercial primate diet. 215 96

A 46-year-old man presented with two weeks of progressive paraparesis and large confluent ecchymoses of both thighs. There was a history of poor dietary intake and daily alcohol use. He had had similar problems each of the past two winters. In 1979 he required hospitalization for "sciatica." In 1980 he was bedridden for two months because of lower extremity weakness. Examination revealed poorly fitting dentures, large confluent ecchymoses of both thighs, perifollicular hemorrhages, and a low serum ascorbic acid concentration. Oral ascorbic acid was begun in the hospital and all clinical symptomatic consequences of scurvy rapidly resolved. We present this case to reiterate the clinical presentation of scurvy and to emphasize the importance of recognizing early signs of nutritional deficiencies that may be confused with more common, but often less treatable, diseases.
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PMID:Scurvy: bilateral lower extremity ecchymoses and paraparesis. 710 65

A four-year-old male child was reported with sudden inability to stand walk of 10 days duration. Acute paralytic poliomyelitis was diagnosed in the presence of fever, respiratory infection, muscle tenderness, and weakness in lower extremity in an unimmunized child. Reevaluation after a week showed swelling, thickening, and tenderness of left femur. Plain x-ray of the left thigh was advised to exclude underlying osteomyelitis of the femur. X-ray showed features of scurvy. The child responded well to parenteral vitamin C therapy and resumed normal walking with in two weeks. Scurvy can present as pseudoparalysis of acute onset without any other signs even in older children. It emphasized the need for an index of suspicion of scurvy in a case of suspected paralysis. Dramatic response to vitamin C therapy can be used to confirm the diagnosis in the absence of laboratory support. Health education can be accelerated to prevent a disease like scurvy.
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PMID:Scurvy--a forgotten disease. 842 May 26

Scurvy is still seen sporadically in the developed world. At a time when subclinical vitamin C deficiency in the general population is being recognized increasingly, the need for clinicians to be aware of this disease remains. We present the case of a 9-year-old boy admitted to hospital with musculoskeletal pain, weakness and changes in the skin and gums. After extensive investigation, he was found to have vitamin C deficiency resulting from a restricted eating pattern. Musculoskeletal complaints are a common mode of presentation of scurvy in children. Failure to appreciate this fact and the risk factors for poor vitamin C intake in the paediatric age group can result in unnecessary and invasive investigations for apparent 'multisystem' disease.
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PMID:Scurvy: forgotten but not gone. 1254 22

A 53-yr-old man with a history of chronic renal failure was admitted to the hospital of Hyogo College of Medicine on March 24th, 1999, because of severe continuous hemoptysis. On February 14th, 1999, the patient had undergone a cadaveric kidney transplantation in the urology department of another hospital. He did not experience any immunological reactions due to tissue rejection. On admission, subcutaneous bleeding at the site of an injection received 1 month before was noticed on his left arm. Petecheae of the extremities and a conjunctival hemorrhage were also noted. However, coagulation and fibrinolysis tests were essentially normal. These findings indicated that the hemorrhages were due to vessel weakness. Scurvy was diagnosed since his serum vitamin C was extremely low (0.2 microgram/ml). The patient was given ascorbic acid (1 g/day), and his condition improved dramatically. Ten years ago, the patient had had renal failure, which had been treated with chronic maintenance dialysis and dietary restriction. It has been postulated that a diet lacking in vitamin C or the steroid treatment he received after kidney transplantation may have induced the scurvy.
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PMID:[A case of scurvy with alveolar hemorrhage]. 1269 44

Scurvy is a set of clinical manifestations characterized by general weakness, anemia, gingivitis and cutaneous bleeding, caused by a lack of ascorbic acid in the diet. This pathology is currently a clinical rarity, although it can still be seen in cases of malnutrition associated with alcoholism or with dietary deficiencies, especially in childhood and old age. We present the case of a 45-year-old male who consulted his physician because of lower limb edema with follicular purpura, accompanied by asthenia, polyarthralgia and bleeding gums. After treatment with 1 g/day of vitamin C was initiated, the patient's symptoms quickly improved. The diagnosis of scurvy was based on the patient's clinical symptoms, dietary history and the rapid resolution of the symptoms when vitamin C supplements were initiated.
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PMID:[Scurvy: follicular purpura as a diagnostic sign]. 1647 64

Ascorbic acid is a vitamin soluble in water and its deficiency in human body causes scurvy. Its symptoms in adults are gingivitis, susceptibility of blood vessels to damage and bleeding, changes in bones and cartilage and retarded wound healing. Ascorbic acid is necessary in redox processes taking place in cell. It is reversibly oxidized to dehydroascorbic acid and partially metabolized to inactive sulphide and oxalic acid, which is expelled in urine. It is well absorbed from the digestive system and easily reaches the tissues. Healthy organism contains 1.5 g of ascorbic acid and daily requirement for ascorbic acid is estimated for 30-100 mg. Ascorbic acid is not synthesized by humans, but it is an essential dietary vitamin for the species. Ascorbic acid is used in treatment deficiency in daily demand for vitamin C, caused by improper diet, poor absorption or cigarette smoking. It is used in large doses in general weakness, infectious diseases and during the recovery period. Positive results have been obtained after therapy with vitamin C of Mollera-Barlowa disease, Schonlein-Henoch disease, Werlhof disease, haemophilia and also in patients with stable coronary artery disease. Vitamin C is assumed to be a basic antioxidant, although its role in pathological conditions is controversial. However, it seems that the complexity of the oxidant-antioxidant system makes the question of participation of vitamin C (and other scavengers of free radicals) in pathogenesis of diseases still open.
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PMID:[Determination of ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acid concentration using HPLC method in smokers with stable coronary artery disease scheduled for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)]. 1652 52

Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is a hydrosoluble vitamin derived from glucose metabolism. It acts as a reductor agent required for synthesis of collagen fibers through hydroxylation of proline and lysine. It also protects the body against damage caused by the free radicals. Humans cannot synthesize ascorbic acid as they lack an enzyme called gulonolactone oxidase. Concentrations in plasma and leukocytes reflect the levels of the diet and body deposits respectively of this vitamin. Among foods with high vitamin C levels are tomatoes, potatoes, and citrus fruits such as limes, oranges and lemons. The current recommendation of daily intake of vitamin C is 90 mg/d for men and 75 mg/d for women. Patients with chronic diseases such as cancer or diabetes or those who smoke need higher doses in their usual diet. Ascorbic acid deficiency gives rise to the appearance of scurvy. This disease is rarely seen in developed countries. The symptoms develop with plasma levels below 0.15 mg/dL. Scurvy is characterized by the presence of weakness, joint pain or skin lesions in form of petechias, gum bleeding, ease of developing bruises or delay in wound healing. The most characteristic skin manifestations are purpuric perifollicular hyperkeratotic papules and the presence of kinky hair.
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PMID:[Vitamin C]. 1717 58


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