Curious case of severe scurvy
Scurvy, the clinical manifestation of vitamin C deficiency, exhibits the characteristic cutaneous findings of perifollicular petechiae, corkscrew hairs, gingivitis, swollen gums, and easy bruising. Syncope is a less reported presenting symptom. Although considered a rare nutritional deficiency not commonly seen in the developed world, it should remain on the differential for those with a history of malnutrition or malabsorption. We present a challenging and severe case of scurvy in a patient secondary to malnutrition and possible undiagnosed Crohn's disease. Recognizing classic dermatologic sequelae of scurvy-and potentially, less common symptoms such as syncope-can prompt diagnosis and treatment initiation.
Authors
- John Strickley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2567-7424)
- Luke Johnson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5585-9512)
- Stacy Henley
Institutions
- West Virginia University (US)
- University of Louisville (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nutrition in Clinical Practice
- Published
- 2025-04-13
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/ncp.11286
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Vitamin C and Antioxidants Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.12
Funders
- University of Louisville