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Scurvy is still a thing in Canada

Date:
January 17, 2020
Source:
McMaster University
Summary:
Researchers surveyed the data of patients of Hamilton's two hospital systems over nine years and found 52 with low Vitamin C levels. This included 13 patients who could be diagnosed as having scurvy, and an additional 39 who tested positive for scurvy but did not have documented symptoms.
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FULL STORY

Scurvy, the debilitating condition remembered as a disease of pirates, is still found in Canada.

The disease, which is caused by a vitamin C deficiency, can result in bruising, weakness, anemia, gum disease, hemorrhage, tooth loss, and even death if undiagnosed and untreated.

McMaster University researchers surveyed the data of patients of Hamilton's two hospital systems over nine years and found 52 with low Vitamin C levels. This included 13 patients who could be diagnosed as having scurvy, and an additional 39 who tested positive for scurvy but did not have documented symptoms.

Among those with scurvy, some were related to alcohol use disorder or to bariatric surgery but the majority were related to other causes of malnutrition such as persistent vomiting, purposeful dietary restrictions, mental illness, social isolation and dependence on others for food.

"Scurvy is seen as a disease irrelevant to the modern world, but it still exists, and clinicians caring for at-risk patients should be aware of it and know how to diagnose it," said John Neary, associate professor of medicine at McMaster and the senior author of the study published this month in theJournal of General Internal Medicine.

First author Kayla Dadgar, who did the research as a medical student at McMaster, said: "Scurvy should be a 'never event' in a healthy society. That it still occurs in Canada in our time indicates that we are not supporting vulnerable people as we should."

The patients with scurvy who were given Vitamin C had a rapid recovery of their symptoms.

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Materialsprovided byMcMaster University.注:内容可以编辑风格and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Kayla Dadgar, John Neary.Clinical Profile of Scurvy in Hamilton Since 2009: a Cohort Study.Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2020; DOI:10.1007/s11606-020-05636-1

Cite This Page:

McMaster University. "Scurvy is still a thing in Canada." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 17 January 2020. /releases/2020/01/200117182111.htm>.
McMaster University. (2020, January 17). Scurvy is still a thing in Canada.ScienceDaily. Retrieved August 10, 2023 from www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/01/200117182111.htm
McMaster University. "Scurvy is still a thing in Canada." ScienceDaily. www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/01/200117182111.htm (accessed August 10, 2023).

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