Scurvy, From Suspicion to Current Reality

Martin-Benlloch S, Brotons-Banon E, Casanova-Rama A, Lopez-Brotons M, Milla-Olaya B, Segui-Perez M, Lopez-Corbalan JC, Atienza-Gonzalez C, Monzó-Garcia M, Orozco-Beltran D, Segui-Ripoll JM and Seguí-Pérez C

Department of Internal Medicine, San Juan University Hospital, Alicante, Spain
Department of Clinical Medicine University Miguel Hernández de Elche, Alicante, Spain
Government Sub-delegation, Alicante Immunization Center, Alicante, Spain
Department of Psychiatry, San Juan University Hospital, Alicante, Spain
Department of Veterinary, University Cardenal Herrera, Valencia, Spain
School of Marist Brothers of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
Primary Care Medicine, Cabo Huertas Health Center, Alicante, Spain

^*Correspondance to: José Miguel Seguí-Ripoll 

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Abstract:

We report the case of a 37-year-old woman with anorexia nervosa, admitted to the psychiatry ward with profound malnutrition due to restrictive eating habits (practically free of fruit and vegetables) and purging. She had difficulty walking due to the malnutrition and developed a severe form of scurvy, accompanied by arthromyalgia in the lower limbs and a limp. Physical examination revealed spontaneous ecchymosis, folliculitis with perifollicular purpura in the lower limbs, gingival hypertrophy without bleeding, and moderate anemia. This case is illustrative and describes an immediate clinical suspicion of a rare, life-threatening but easily curable disease if considered in the proper clinical context.

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Cite the Article:

Martin-Benlloch S, Brotons-Banon E, Casanova-Rama A, Lopez-Brotons M, Milla-Olaya B, Segui-Perez M, et al. Scurvy, From Suspicion to Current Reality. Clin Case Rep Int. 2023; 7: 1456.