Abstract
We report three cases of scurvy in previously healthy children referred to us for leg pain and refusal to walk. All children had no significant medical history, symptoms had started months before and subtly advanced. Two of them presented with gingival hyperplasia and petechiae, another one reported night sweats and gingival bleeding in the past few weeks. Two had vitamin D deficiency, and all had microcytic anaemia (in one case requiring transfusional support). A nutritional screening revealed low or undetectable levels of ascorbic acid. This, along with the clinical and radiological findings, led to a diagnosis of scurvy. Vitamin C supplementation was started with rapid improvement of the children's clinical condition. Scurvy is a rare disease in the 'first world', but there are anecdotal reports of scurvy in children without any of the known risk factors for this condition. In our cases, a selective diet was the only risk factor.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Archives of Disease in Childhood |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - Aug 7 2018 |
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Scurvy : still a threat in the well-fed first world? / Ceglie, Giulia; Macchiarulo, Giulia; Marchili, Maria Rosaria; Marchesi, Alessandra; Rotondi Aufiero, Lelia; Di Camillo, Chiara; Villani, Alberto.
In: Archives of Disease in Childhood, 07.08.2018.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Scurvy
T2 - still a threat in the well-fed first world?
AU - Ceglie, Giulia
AU - Macchiarulo, Giulia
AU - Marchili, Maria Rosaria
AU - Marchesi, Alessandra
AU - Rotondi Aufiero, Lelia
AU - Di Camillo, Chiara
AU - Villani, Alberto
N1 - © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2018. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
PY - 2018/8/7
Y1 - 2018/8/7
N2 - We report three cases of scurvy in previously healthy children referred to us for leg pain and refusal to walk. All children had no significant medical history, symptoms had started months before and subtly advanced. Two of them presented with gingival hyperplasia and petechiae, another one reported night sweats and gingival bleeding in the past few weeks. Two had vitamin D deficiency, and all had microcytic anaemia (in one case requiring transfusional support). A nutritional screening revealed low or undetectable levels of ascorbic acid. This, along with the clinical and radiological findings, led to a diagnosis of scurvy. Vitamin C supplementation was started with rapid improvement of the children's clinical condition. Scurvy is a rare disease in the 'first world', but there are anecdotal reports of scurvy in children without any of the known risk factors for this condition. In our cases, a selective diet was the only risk factor.
AB - We report three cases of scurvy in previously healthy children referred to us for leg pain and refusal to walk. All children had no significant medical history, symptoms had started months before and subtly advanced. Two of them presented with gingival hyperplasia and petechiae, another one reported night sweats and gingival bleeding in the past few weeks. Two had vitamin D deficiency, and all had microcytic anaemia (in one case requiring transfusional support). A nutritional screening revealed low or undetectable levels of ascorbic acid. This, along with the clinical and radiological findings, led to a diagnosis of scurvy. Vitamin C supplementation was started with rapid improvement of the children's clinical condition. Scurvy is a rare disease in the 'first world', but there are anecdotal reports of scurvy in children without any of the known risk factors for this condition. In our cases, a selective diet was the only risk factor.
U2 - 10.1136/archdischild-2018-315496
DO - 10.1136/archdischild-2018-315496
M3 - Review article
C2 - 30087152
JO - Archives of Disease in Childhood
JF - Archives of Disease in Childhood
SN - 0003-9888
ER -