{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,23]],"date-time":"2026-03-23T10:18:01Z","timestamp":1774261081250,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":8,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"2","content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["BMJ Case Rep"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,16]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,2]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Scurvy is caused by vitamin C deficiency and is often thought of as an ancient malady. However, it still afflicts present-day patients with insufficient nutrition, excessive alcohol consumption and disorders of absorption. Scurvy is traditionally characterised by ecchymosis, petechiae, haemorrhages, poor wound healing, myalgias and arthralgias, but it can also present with non-specific symptoms, including mood changes, fatigue, malaise and dyspnoea. Although scurvy can present with signs of excess bleeding, it does not involve blood clotting. We present a case of concurrent scurvy and pulmonary embolism in which clinical presentation and laboratory findings mimicked a coagulation disorder, resulting in delayed diagnosis and excessive resource expenditure. This case underscores the importance of obtaining an early dietary and substance use history in patients with unexplained haematological symptoms. These crucial components of history-taking can significantly reduce invasive and costly tests, resulting in quicker diagnosis and enhanced patient outcomes.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1136\/bcr-2023-259310","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,28]],"date-time":"2024-02-28T02:10:51Z","timestamp":1709086251000},"page":"e259310","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Vitamin C Deficiency as a Mimicker of a Coagulation Disorder"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"17","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9647-5064","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kanika Ajay","family":"Malani","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jill","family":"O'Brien","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA"},{"name":"Division of Medicine, Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"2025082701314592000_17.2.e259310.1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.3390\/diseases11020078","article-title":"Scurvy: rediscovering a forgotten disease","volume":"11","author":"Gandhi","year":"2023","journal-title":"Diseases"},{"key":"2025082701314592000_17.2.e259310.2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjnph-2018-000010","article-title":"Vitamin C and alcohol: a call to action","volume":"1","author":"Lim","year":"2018","journal-title":"BMJ Nutr Prev Health"},{"key":"2025082701314592000_17.2.e259310.3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.3390\/nu13020615","article-title":"Vitamin C\u2014sources, physiological role, Kinetics, deficiency, use, toxicity, and determination","volume":"13","author":"Dosed\u011bl","year":"2021","journal-title":"Nutrients"},{"key":"2025082701314592000_17.2.e259310.4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.3390\/nu12072008","article-title":"Global vitamin C status and prevalence of deficiency: a cause for concern","volume":"12","author":"Rowe","year":"2020","journal-title":"Nutrients"},{"key":"2025082701314592000_17.2.e259310.5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1097\/MD.0000000000008861","article-title":"Latent scurvy with tiredness and leg pain in alcoholics","volume":"96","author":"Lux-Battistelli","year":"2017","journal-title":"Medicine (Baltimore)"},{"key":"2025082701314592000_17.2.e259310.6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"309","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jdcr.2019.01.031","article-title":"Severe scurvy in an adult male without clear risk factors for nutritional deficiency","volume":"5","author":"Day","year":"2019","journal-title":"JAAD Case Rep"},{"key":"2025082701314592000_17.2.e259310.7","first-page":"304","article-title":"Think about the \u2018C\u2019 (in custard and crackers)","volume":"103","author":"Metz","year":"2018","journal-title":"Arch Dis Childhood - Educ Practice"},{"key":"2025082701314592000_17.2.e259310.8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.7326\/aimcc.2022.0746","article-title":"Scurvy\u2019s systemic clinical picture: a multiorgan presentation of a conspicuous disease","volume":"2","author":"Carrillo-V\u00e1zquez","year":"2023","journal-title":"AIM Clinical Cases"}],"container-title":["BMJ Case Reports"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/syndication.highwire.org\/content\/doi\/10.1136\/bcr-2023-259310","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,27]],"date-time":"2025-08-27T08:31:54Z","timestamp":1756283514000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/casereports.bmj.com\/lookup\/doi\/10.1136\/bcr-2023-259310"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,2]]},"references-count":8,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,27]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,2]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1136\/bcr-2023-259310"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/bcr-2023-259310","relation":{},"ISSN":["1757-790X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1757-790X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,2]]}}}