“Scurvy is still seen as a disease of the past, especially in developed countries,” Australian doctors wrote Tuesday in the journal BMJ Case Reports.
Upon his scurvy diagnosis, the man took 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C, 125 micrograms of vitamin D3, 5 milligrams of folic acid and a multivitamin daily.
“This disease is easily reversible with supplementation, with a dramatic response seen within 24 hours,” the doctors wrote.
Scurvy signs can appear as early as a month after consuming less than 10 milligrams of vitamin C a day, the researchers say.
Dr. Theodore Strange, chairman of medicine at Staten Island University Hospital, said he hasn’t seen a case of scurvy since medical school.
You’re kidding, are you?
According to a new study, the rising cost of living and the popularity of weight loss surgery seem to be contributing to the resurgence of scurvy, a vitamin C deficiency disease that afflicted sailors and pirates centuries ago.
In the journal BMJ Case Reports on Tuesday, Australian physicians wrote, “Scurvy is still seen as a disease of the past, especially in developed countries.”. Scurvy does, however, occasionally occur, particularly in the elderly, alcoholics, and children with mental or developmental issues. “”.
In western Australia, doctors at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital describe a case of a fifty-something jobless ex-smoker who complained of an excruciating rash on both legs that seemed to appear out of nowhere.
He had anemia, or a low red blood cell count, and blood was discovered in his urine.
When the anonymous man’s tests for autoimmune, inflammatory, and blood disorders came back negative, emergency room staff were a little perplexed. Internal bleeding was not detected by scans, and a skin biopsy produced no results.
He experienced more bruising, swelling, and pain in both legs as a result of his rash spreading while he was in the hospital.
Lastly, a nutritional panel revealed other nutritional deficiencies and undetectable vitamin C levels.
The Australian’s “living conditions were poor,” the doctors discovered. “”.
Due to his financial limitations, he neglected his diet. The case report stated that the majority of his meals were processed foods devoid of fruit or vegetables. He occasionally skipped meals, which has become more common in the last few weeks. Due to financial difficulties, he had also ceased taking the vitamin and mineral supplements that had been recommended after gastric bypass surgery. “”.
The patient had a sleeve gastrectomy eight years earlier, which involved removing a significant amount of his stomach in order to reduce his weight.
After being diagnosed with scurvy, the man took a multivitamin, 1,000 mg of vitamin C, 125 micrograms of vitamin D3, and 5 mg of folic acid every day.
The man began eating a lemon daily after a dietitian created a meal plan. His rash cleared up, and his urine stopped containing blood.
Scurvy risk factors include poor nutrition, gastric bypass surgery, dialysis, alcoholism, psychiatric history, and eating disorders, according to the study’s authors.
The doctors wrote, “With supplementation, this disease is easily reversible, with a dramatic response seen within 24 hours.”. Treatment must be started as soon as possible because failure to do so could result in catastrophic bleeding. “”.
According to recent research, the prevalence of scurvy in children in the United States more than tripled from 8.2 per 100,000 cases in 2016 to 26.7 per 100,000 cases in 2020.
Patients from low-income families were more likely to be younger, male, and obese. Approximately 65% had received an autism diagnosis.
Adult men should consume 90 milligrams of vitamin C per day, while adult women should consume 75 milligrams. Smokers, some cancer patients, women who are pregnant or nursing, and people on certain medications might require more.
Less than 10 milligrams of vitamin C per day can cause scurvy symptoms to manifest as early as one month later, according to the researchers.
Dr. According to Staten Island University Hospital’s chairman of medicine, Theodore Strange, he hasn’t encountered a scurvy case since medical school.
According to the authors of the study, “it is still very rare in developed countries, especially here in the USA, as many foods and supplements contain enough [vitamin C] to prevent this disease from re-emerging,” Strange told The Post. “A good multivitamin can never hurt if there is any concern. “”.
