Scurvy is Back.

Nutr Metab Insights

Department of Geriatric Medicine, Karin Grech Hospital, Pietà, Malta.

Published: November 2018

Background And Objective: Scurvy, caused by vitamin C deficiency, first described by Hippocrates, is known to many as 'The Pirates' Disease'. Although a disease rarely acknowledged in modern medicine, we present 2 cases of elderly gentlemen found to have scurvy, who improved significantly on treatment.

Methods: This study presents a case report of 2 patients undergoing rehabilitation at Karin Grech Hospital in Malta, noted to have signs and symptoms of vitamin C deficiency. Vitamin C levels were found to be low and thus supplementation was administered.

Results: After a few weeks, a significant improvement was noted in level of frailty, mood, bleeding tendency, and gum health.

Conclusions: The modern doctor must keep this ancient disease in mind, as it presents insidiously with debilitating repercussions, particularly in older people who are at a higher risk. It is easily treatable once detected.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6249652PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1178638818809097DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

vitamin deficiency
8
scurvy background
4
background objective
4
objective scurvy
4
scurvy caused
4
caused vitamin
4
deficiency described
4
described hippocrates
4
hippocrates 'the
4
'the pirates'
4

Similar Publications

Women are disproportionately affected by chronic autoimmune diseases (AD) like systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and Sjögren's syndrome. Traditional evaluations often underestimate the associated cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke risk in women having AD. Vitamin D deficiency increases susceptibility to these conditions.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the most common form of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Vitamin D may be an effective way to treat BPH symptoms because it has anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory characteristics. Thus, adequate vitamin D levels are vital for overall health.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Oral Manifestations of Vitamin C Deficiency in a Toddler.

J Dent Child (Chic)

September 2024

Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Ill., USA.

Vitamin C deficiency, colloquially known as scurvy, has become rare in modern times due to the widespread availability of ascorbic acid-rich foods. Despite this, it continues to be a concern in certain at-risk populations. The purpose of this report is to describe the case of a two-year-old girl who initially presented to a pediatric dental clinic with the chief complaint of hypertrophic gingiva and bleeding.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Parental refusal of intramuscular (IM) vitamin K in newborns poses challenges, particularly for pediatric urologists assessing the safety of neonatal circumcision. Vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB) is a known risk, with lack of prophylaxis increasing bleeding complications. This study evaluates the safety of neonatal circumcision without IM vitamin K, reviews guidelines, and explores alternative prophylaxis options.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This review provides an analysis of the current literature on the health and nutrition of blood donors, examining key aspects that affect the quality of donated blood and the well-being of donors. The review discusses effective iron absorption facilitated by key nutrients and presents evidence on the importance of a balanced diet rich in essential nutrients, such as vitamin B12 and folic acid. The review examines the differences in iron levels between men and women and highlights the role of sex hormones in regulating iron metabolism.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!