Scurvy is not just an 18th-century seafarers' disease, study shows

Scurvy, or vitamin C deficiency, is not just an 18th-century seafarers' disease, as a case study of a 65-year-old woman with mobility issues and social isolation shows. In an article published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.240769, clinicians describe how scurvy should be considered in patients with abnormal bleeding and nonspecific symptoms.

Vitamin C deficiency is more common than expected in the 21st century, with a 5.9% prevalence in the United States and rates possibly as high as 25% in some groups with low socioeconomic status in the United Kingdom.

As symptoms are often nonspecific, such as fatigue, weakness, and shortness of breath, diagnosis can be challenging.

The patient also smoked, which contributes to vitamin C deficiency. Once started on vitamin C treatment, her symptoms improved, and a blood test for vitamin C deficiency eventually confirmed the diagnosis.

Source:

Canadian Medical Association Journal

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