愛污传媒

Health

    • A Canadian woman was recently diagnosed with scurvy. Here are the factors tied to the disease

    Share

    A recent Canadian case of shows the disease is not just an archaic diagnosis of 18th-century seafarers.

    After a 65-year-old woman from Toronto was diagnosed with scurvy last year, researchers say doctors should watch for possible cases.

    The study published Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) outlines the case of the woman who was treated at an emergency department after experiencing "progressive leg weakness and poor mobility" over eight days. Doctors also observed skin lesions, gum changes and anemia, among other symptoms.

    She was diagnosed with scurvy, also called hypovitaminosis C, a disease caused by an extreme deficiency in vitamin C, according to researchers. Vitamin C plays an essential role in many metabolic processes, production of collagen and wound healing.

    Doctors are being advised to watch out for cases of scurvy, such as in patients with abnormal bleeding. (Pexels)

    Potential symptoms

    Scurvy can initially have symptoms such as fatigue, lethargy, weakness, irritability and low mood, which researchers said can make it challenging to diagnose it quickly. Moreover, results for a vitamin C test can take time; in this particular case, it took two weeks. Over time, some common signs of the condition include coiled 鈥渃orkscrew鈥 hairs due to hair-producing cells not getting sufficient blood, perifollicular hemorrhages, bruising, hematoma formation, musculoskeletal pain, gum disease and anemia.

    Scurvy can also cause cardiorespiratory symptoms, such as shortness of breath, chest pain, hot flashes and night sweats.

    What are the risk factors?

    A detailed assessment of the Toronto patient鈥檚 social and dietary history helped doctors to diagnose her with scurvy.

    Scurvy has numerous risk factors, but patients with low socioeconomic status or who don't have enough quality food to eat may be at greater risk for the disease, according to researchers.

    It was diagnosed after considering the woman鈥檚 medical and social history, the study said. She had a history of hypertension, dyslipidemia, hypothyroidism, anxiety and depression. In addition, she said she smoked half a pack of cigarettes per day, which researchers said was likely a factor in developing scurvy.

    Moreover, she had "substantial limitations" to her daily activities, such as grocery shopping and preparing meals, for several years due to muscle pain that made walking difficult, read the study. She also reported little social or family support, which resulted in a poor diet consisting mostly of canned soup and fish, and lacking in vitamins.

    The study cited data that suggested vitamin C deficiency was more common in people with low socioeconomic status.

    Although scurvy is often "asymptomatic" and rarely requires serious care, the authors of the report say doctors should still consider the diagnosis, particularly in patients with abnormal bleeding, as well as fatigue, edema or shortness of breath. Moreover, doctors should consider patients at increased risk for vitamin C deficiency, including pediatric patients, smokers or those who have a substance use disorder, malabsorption syndrome or restrictive eating pattern, such as those with autism spectrum disorder or tea and toast diet.

    Examination results

    When the Toronto woman was at the hospital, doctors observed skin discolouration on both her thighs had been present for about three months. Before she ended up in the hospital, the woman鈥檚 family doctor had prescribed topical antifungal treatment for the skin lesions, believing it was tinea cruris, also known as jock itch, but it didn鈥檛 help. The woman also had similar skin lesions about a year earlier, which disappeared 鈥渟pontaneously.鈥

    When she was hospitalized, she had normal vital signs and didn鈥檛 have a fever, though her gums had bruises and swelling, according to doctors.

    Treatment

    Upon diagnosing her with a serious case of scurvy, doctors gave her 1,000 mg of intravenous vitamin C for seven days, then 1,000 mg of oral vitamin C daily.

    鈥淗er lower leg weakness began to improve after vitamin C treatment was started,鈥 researchers wrote.

    She was later treated at a rehabilitation facility.

    Although vitamin C is a recommended treatment, doctors said they don鈥檛 believe clear evidence-based guidelines are available yet.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    NEW

    NEW

    The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

    Canada

    • The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada is now joining the Canadian Association of Public Employees (CAPE) in calling on the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates to conduct a "thorough investigation.

    • A new report suggests that Canadians' exposure to a radioactive gas is increasing, putting millions of people at a higher risk of developing lung cancer.

    • A man who fired at least 19 gunshots at an RCMP detachment in northern British Columbia, narrowly missing officers inside, has won a reduced prison sentence from the province's highest court, which ruled the sentencing judge failed to fully weigh the man's mental illness at the time.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    • A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

    • The estimated population of North Atlantic right whales increased in 2023, but a group of international marine scientists say human behaviour still poses a significant threat to the critically endangered species.

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    • The Radium Hot Springs in British Columbia's Kootenay National Park has undergone a $29-million makeover.

    • A Manitoba company competed against the cream of the crop at the world's largest dairy expo and came out the big cheese.

    Sports

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

    Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

    A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.

    A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.

    A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.

    Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.

    Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.

    The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that 鈥 and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.

    A Moncton, N.B., home has been donated to the Friends of The Moncton Hospital Foundation and will be transformed into a resource hub for people living with cancer.

    • A man who fired at least 19 gunshots at an RCMP detachment in northern British Columbia, narrowly missing officers inside, has won a reduced prison sentence from the province's highest court, which ruled the sentencing judge failed to fully weigh the man's mental illness at the time.

    • An oil salvage operation is underway on the fragile wreckage of a U.S. army transport ship that sank almost 80 years ago off coastal British Columbia in a race to head off an eruption of thousands of litres of oil that a coast guard official says is "near imminent."

    • Ken Swain has a major mess on his hands.

    • The federal government says it can鈥檛 wait any longer for Ontario to end encampments in its cities and will offer money directly to municipalities, including Toronto, to fix the problem.

    • Police are asking for the public鈥檚 help after a teenage boy was dropped off at a hospital in York Region and died a short time later.

    • Seventeen cows died after a semi-truck rolled over in south Calgary. A video posted to Reddit shows the semi-truck driving on an off-ramp from Stoney Trail onto Macleod Trail when it tips over onto its side and slides off the road.

    • Calgary police say thousands of dollars worth of stolen goods and a loaded shotgun were seized from an encampment in the community of Ogden.

    • A new report suggests that Canadians' exposure to a radioactive gas is increasing, putting millions of people at a higher risk of developing lung cancer.

    • The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada is now joining the Canadian Association of Public Employees (CAPE) in calling on the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates to conduct a "thorough investigation.

    • Popular Kanata restaurant D'Arcy McGee's has suddenly closed its doors. In a post on Facebook Tuesday night, D'Arcy McGee's said, "We will sadly be closing our doors."

    • Passengers at the Ottawa International Airport (YOW) will not be required to remove their laptops and liquids from carry-on-bags for screening, thanks to a new CT X-ray screening technology.

    • Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante will not be seeking reelection.

    • The two environmental activists who climbed to the top of the Jacques Cartier Bridge early on Tuesday morning in Montreal have been charged with mischief and resisting or obstructing a peace officer.

    • As the case of the Bedford school, where teachers created a climate of terror, has brought the debate on secularism to the fore, Quebec Solidaire (QS) is joining the Parti Qu茅b茅cois (PQ) in calling for an end to the funding of religious schools in the province.

    • Edmonton has been named one of the top cities in Lonely Planet鈥檚 "Best in Travel" for 2025.

    • Hockey fans, along with their lawn chairs, cozy blankets and a deep appreciation for the Edmonton Oilers, began lining up early Wednesday morning for a team autograph session in West Edmonton Mall that evening.

    • WEATHER

      WEATHER

      Cool mornings and mild afternoons through the rest of this week in Edmonton and area.

    • NEW

      NEW

      The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

    • The Nova Scotia government says it plans to reduce the province's harmonized sales tax (HST) rate by one percentage point next year.

    • After a stretch of fair, warm late October days, a change in the weather arrives for the Maritimes Thursday into Friday.

    • Winnipeg police are working to crack down on dangerous driving and stunt driving throughout the city.

    • The Manitoba government is looking to add more liquor outlets inside food and grocery stores.

    • An armed man was restrained by customers after he attempted to rob a Winnipeg restaurant on Monday.

    • The Regina Police Service (RPS) and the Saskatchewan Coroners Service have concluded the death of a man on Robinson Street on Oct. 22 is a 鈥渘on-criminal鈥 matter.

    • Candidates across Saskatchewan are making their final pitches to potential voters as the 2024 election campaign is quickly approaching its end.

    • More residents in Saskatchewan say it鈥檚 time for a federal election to be called than in any other province, a new poll from the Angus Reid Institute shows.

    • Prosecutors are arguing a man who stabbed a professor and two students in a University of Waterloo gender studies class last year should face a lengthy sentence because of the attack's lasting impact on campus safety and security.

    • A man is miraculously alive after driving his pickup truck through the fence and down a 150-foot embankment at Hawk Cliff in near Port Stanley, Ont.

    • With the war in Ukraine still going on and Saskatchewan now home to hundreds of newcomers fleeing the attacks, there鈥檚 been a resurgence of a youth group here in Saskatoon.

    • Saskatoon Public Library workers are in a strike position following the rejection of a tentative agreement with the employer.

    • Candidates across Saskatchewan are making their final pitches to potential voters as the 2024 election campaign is quickly approaching its end.

    • Greater Sudbury has ended the employment of CAO Ed Archer, Mayor Paul Lefebvre announced suddenly Tuesday evening

    • Police have confirmed the body of an employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax over the weekend was found in a walk-in oven.

    • A man is miraculously alive after driving his pickup truck through the fence and down a 150-foot embankment at Hawk Cliff in near Port Stanley, Ont.

    • Police said the house is believed to be empty and abandoned and it's not known yet if the driver of the truck is injured.

    • On Oct. 18, London police were contacted by Toronto Police Service requesting help to find a Toronto man wanted for multiple robbery and firearms related offences.

    • A 34-year-old motorcyclist has died following a collision in Barrie鈥檚 south end on Tuesday.

    • A Wasaga Beach woman is celebrating her first big win with the lottery after matching six of seven Encore numbers in exact order in the Sept. 13 Lotto Max draw.

    • Provincial police were summoned to Howdenvale Road in South Bruce Peninsula by a complaint about a possibly impaired driver Saturday.

    • Windsor police are looking to identify four suspects after a pizza delivery driver was allegedly robbed and assaulted.

    • A new mental health and addictions service inventory is launching for those looking for help with mental health and addition in Windsor and Essex County.

    • Chatham-Kent is set to distribute Cyanokits to the community.

    • A man who fired at least 19 gunshots at an RCMP detachment in northern British Columbia, narrowly missing officers inside, has won a reduced prison sentence from the province's highest court, which ruled the sentencing judge failed to fully weigh the man's mental illness at the time.

    • An oil salvage operation is underway on the fragile wreckage of a U.S. army transport ship that sank almost 80 years ago off coastal British Columbia in a race to head off an eruption of thousands of litres of oil that a coast guard official says is "near imminent."

    • Green Leader Sonia Furstenau is set to meet the media for the first time since British Columbia's indecisive election on Saturday, amid speculation about a possible minority government.

    • Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.

    • A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.

    • Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.

    • A proposed coal mine 鈥 not tourism 鈥 is critical in revitalizing southwestern Alberta communities along the edge of the Rockies, a group in favour of a controversial project maintains.

    • Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she's waiting for NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi to declare where he intends to run for office before she calls a byelection in Lethbridge.

    • The health of honeybees will be the focus of a presentation at the University of Lethbridge on Wednesday evening.

    • The union representing the fire rangers with the Ministry of Natural Resources says money won鈥檛 fix the systemic problems in the workplace.

    • Rallies by a group called Voices Against Violence took place across the country on Monday, including Sault Ste. Marie.

    • An Indigenous group in northwestern Ontario shut down the highway for a couple of hours Monday morning in protest after ancestral remains were found at a construction site.

    N.L.

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at 愛污传媒. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop.聽Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 愛污传媒