End stage scurvy in the developed world: A diagnostic conundrum but not to be mistaken for pyoderma gangrenosum.
Int Wound J
; 16(4): 1024-1028, 2019 Aug.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-31154667
ABSTRACT
Scurvy is a clinical syndrome, resulting from ascorbic acid deficiency. Prevalence of the condition is now extremely low in the Western population and its diagnosis can be challenging without a high index of suspicion. When cases do present, they are often misdiagnosed initially. Therefore, a thorough history, physical exam, and laboratory evaluation are key to showing this now rare but extremely well-known disease. We report a case of scurvy manifesting as persistent non-healing lower-extremity ulcerations, initially mistaken for pyoderma gangrenosum. The patient responded to appropriate replacement therapy, but ulcers were slow to heal. As was the case in our patient, symptom reversal may require additional nutritional replacement. We encourage physicians to consider nutritional deficiencies in their differential diagnoses and highlight the incidence of malnutrition in the proper clinical setting to avoid diagnostic delay.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Scurvy
/
Pyoderma Gangrenosum
/
Dermatologic Agents
/
Infliximab
/
Immunotherapy
/
Leg Ulcer
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Int Wound J
Year:
2019
Document type:
Article