Which disease is caused by deficiency of vitamin C in diet?

Appeared in: MNS 2015

Explanation

Scurvy is the clinical syndrome resulting from a deficiency of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid).
Vitamin C is crucial for collagen synthesis. Its deficiency impairs the formation of connective tissues, blood vessels, and skin, leading to increased fragility.
Classic symptoms of scurvy include bleeding gums, poor wound healing, petechiae (small red spots on the skin), and musculoskeletal pain.

Option A: Night blindness is caused by a deficiency of Vitamin A (retinol), not Vitamin C. Vitamin A is essential for vision.
Option C: Rickets is a condition of bone softening in children caused by a deficiency of Vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate, not Vitamin C.
Option D: Pellagra is caused by a deficiency of Vitamin B3 (niacin), not Vitamin C. It is known for the '4 Ds': dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia, and death.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Vitamin Deficiency Diseases helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Nurses must be able to recognize the signs of nutritional deficiencies, as they can indicate broader health issues like malabsorption syndromes, poor dietary habits, or alcoholism.
Patient education on maintaining a balanced diet is a key nursing intervention to prevent deficiency diseases. For Vitamin C, this includes consuming citrus fruits, berries, and green leafy vegetables.
What if? - If a patient on a highly restrictive diet (e.g., due to autism or food faddism) presents with irritability, leg pain, and difficulty walking, the nurse should have a high index of suspicion for scurvy, even though it is rare in the general population.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question: it asks to link a specific nutrient (Vitamin C) to its corresponding deficiency disease.
This is a direct factual recall question. Access your knowledge of major vitamins and their associated deficiency syndromes.
Systematically evaluate each option against your knowledge base: Night blindness is linked to Vitamin A, Scurvy to Vitamin C, Rickets to Vitamin D, and Pellagra to Vitamin B3.
Select the option that correctly matches Vitamin C, which is Scurvy.

Concept Tested & Keywords

QXLoQkJjlz1MJCE0tPFaYt

E6 textbook of Applied Biochemistry and Nutrition & DieteticsHarbans Lal (pp 26-464 of 479) p. 370-372

E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 1 p. 513-515

E6 Pathology- ROBBINS & COTRAN PATHOLOGIC BASIS OF DISEASE 10TH Ed p. 448-450

Practise the full MNS 2015

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.