alpine scurvy
Noun: A severe nutritional deficiency disease caused by a lack of niacin (vitamin B3) or its precursor, tryptophan. The condition is characterized by a combination of symptoms affecting the skin (dermatitis), digestive system (diarrhea), and nervous system (dementia). It can result from inadequate diet, alcoholism, or other conditions impairing nutrient absorption.
The term "alpine scurvy" is a historical and regional name for this condition, which is more commonly known today as pellagra. It is used in medical or historical contexts to describe the disease, particularly with reference to past outbreaks in specific geographical areas, such as alpine regions.
- Historical records describe outbreaks of alpine scurvy in impoverished mountain villages during the 19th century.
- The symptoms of alpine scurvy—diarrhea, dermatitis, and dementia—are now recognized as the classic signs of pellagra.
- Before the discovery of vitamins, the cause of alpine scurvy was a mystery.
- The term is primarily used in historical or epidemiological writing to discuss the disease's impact in specific locales before its nutritional cause was understood.
- It may appear in older medical texts or literature describing health conditions in isolated communities.
- Pellagra (noun): The modern medical term for the disease historically called alpine scurvy. This is the standard term used in contemporary medicine and nutrition.
- Niacin Deficiency (noun phrase): A more general term describing the lack of vitamin B3, which is the direct cause of the disease.
- Pellagra: The direct and most common synonym.
- Mal de la rosa: An older term used in some European contexts.
- Asturian leprosy: Another historical regional name for the condition.
While "scurvy" in its standalone form refers to a deficiency of vitamin C, the compound term "alpine scurvy" specifically denotes a niacin (B3) deficiency. The name likely arose because both diseases were common nutritional deficiencies with some similar debilitating symptoms (like weakness and skin issues) observed in impoverished populations. It is crucial to distinguish this term from "scurvy" alone.
-
a disease caused by deficiency of niacin or tryptophan (or by a defect in the metabolic conversion of tryptophan to niacin); characterized by gastrointestinal disturbances and erythema and nervous or mental disorders; may be caused by malnutrition or alcoholism or other nutritional impairments
Khám phá thêm
Các từ liên quan
Từ đồng nghĩa
