title: [Scurvy. A rare differential diagnosis of rheumatic diseases].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In December 2014 a patient presented to our clinic with the clinical symptoms of vasculitis. However, treatment with glucocorticoids did not lead to any improvement; therefore, the differential diagnostics were extended to other indications and ultimately led to the diagnosis of scurvy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article describes the clinical picture of scurvy and its relationship to rheumatic diseases based on a clinical case and additional information from the literature. Differences and similarities with important rheumatological disease symptoms are presented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Scurvy is a rare hypovitaminosis disease which can be manifested in different forms. In addition to vasculitis the symptoms can also resemble arthritis and hemarthrosis is a typical finding. These symptoms can be accompanied by unspecific manifestations, such as muscle pain and due to impaired collagen synthesis characteristic features, such as corkscrew hair can be observed. The causal therapy of scurvy is substitution of ascorbic acid.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Scurvy is a rare differential diagnosis in the context of rheumatic diseases. The indications for scurvy can be a lack of response to immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory drugs as well as individual symptoms, such as corkscrew hair.
authors.affiliation: Universitätsklinik für Innere Medizin 3, Rheumatologie und Immunologie, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Ulmenweg 18, 91054, Erlangen, Deutschland. Katharina.hofheinz@uk-erlangen.de.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hofheinz
authors.affiliation: Universitätsklinik für Innere Medizin 1, Gastroenterologie, Pneumologie und Endokrinologie, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Deutschland.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ganzleben
authors.affiliation: Universitätsklinik für Dermatologie, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Deutschland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schliep
authors.affiliation: Universitätsklinik für Innere Medizin 3, Rheumatologie und Immunologie, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Ulmenweg 18, 91054, Erlangen, Deutschland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wacker
authors.affiliation: Universitätsklinik für Innere Medizin 3, Rheumatologie und Immunologie, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Ulmenweg 18, 91054, Erlangen, Deutschland.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schett
authors.affiliation: Universitätsklinik für Innere Medizin 3, Rheumatologie und Immunologie, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Ulmenweg 18, 91054, Erlangen, Deutschland.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Manger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D035583:Rare Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012614:Scurvy / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000178:diet therapy*
keywords: Ascorbic acid; Hemarthrosis; Hypovitaminosis; Vasculitis; Vitamin C