Pellagra: a still existing disease

Hoarseness in pellagra

“…Although the major manifestations of pellagra form a clinical triad (dementia, dermatitis and diarrhea), none are specific for niacin deficiency and not all are seen in every patient, particularly at onset. [4][5][6] The full triad was present in only 22% of patients in one report. 5 On oral examination, cheilitis, angular stomatitis and glossitis are characteristic of pellagra, 3 and previous reports show that 39% to 61% of patients with pellagra have glossitis.…”

Acrodermatitis enteropathica–like eruption and failure to thrive as presenting signs of cystic fibrosis

“…16 In addition, necrolytic acral erythema, a condition occurring in patients with hepatitis C infection, and pellagra show similar histologic features. 17,18 In addition to CF, many other systemic conditions can resemble or have been associated with acrodermatitis enteropathica due to acquired zinc and/ or protein deficiency. These conditions include Crohn's disease, 2 propionic acidemia, 11 glutaric aciduria type 1, 12 nonketotic hyperglycinemia, 13 isoleucine deficiency, 14 alcoholic pancreatitis and cirrhosis, 19,20 intestinal bypass operation, 21 lymphoma, 22 biotin deficiency, 23 anorexia nervosa, 24 chemotherapy for hematologic malignancies, 25 citrullinemia, 26 essential fatty acid deficiency, 27 deficiency of ornithine transcarbamylase, 28 total intravenous hyperalimentation, 29 methylmalonic acidemia, 30 HIV infection, 31 and partial gastrectomy.…”

Effectiveness of food fortification in the United States: the case of pellagra

“…25 In the United States, it was virtually eradicated by 1960. Pellagra is now seen only occasionally in this country, mostly in association with alcoholism and much less frequently in association with other disorders in which the intake of a balanced diet is compromised over prolonged periods.…”