What is pellagra and its symptoms?

What is pellagra and its symptoms?

Pellagra is a disease caused by a lack of the vitamin niacin (vitamin B3). Symptoms include inflamed skin, diarrhea, dementia, and sores in the mouth. Areas of the skin exposed to either sunlight or friction are typically affected first. Over time affected skin may become darker, stiffen, peel, or bleed.

What happens pellagra?

Pellagra is a systemic disease that results from severe vitamin B3 (Niacin) deficiency. Mild deficiency may go unnoticed, but a diet chronically low or without Niacin may result in the 4 D’s: diarrhea, dermatitis, dementia, and possibly even death. Usually diarrhea will occur before the other D’s.

What are the 4 D’s of pellagra?

Pellagra defines systemic disease as resulting from a marked cellular deficiency of niacin. It is characterized by 4 “D’s”: diarrhea, dermatitis, dementia, and death. Diagnosis of pellagra is difficult in the absence of the skin lesions, and is often facilitated by the presence of characteristic ones.

What are the symptoms of niacin deficiency?

Niacin Deficiency Symptoms

• thick, scaly pigmented rash on skin exposed to sunlight.
• swollen mouth and bright red tongue.
• vomiting and diarrhea.
• headache.
• apathy.
• fatigue.
• depression.
• disorientation.

How is pellagra diagnosed?

The diagnosis of pellagra is based on the patient’s history and the presence of “3 D syndrome”: dermatitis, diarrhea, and dementia. The dermatitis caused by pellagra is a bilaterally symmetrical erythema at the sites of solar exposure.

Is pellagra an autoimmune disorder?

The diagnosis of pellagra is usually based on the clinical characteristics of the dermatitis and on the response to treatment. SS may present as a primary disease or in association with other autoimmune rheumatic diseases.

What are the effects of vitamin B6 deficiency?

Vitamin B6 deficiency is associated with microcytic anemia, electroencephalographic abnormalities, dermatitis with cheilosis (scaling on the lips and cracks at the corners of the mouth) and glossitis (swollen tongue), depression and confusion, and weakened immune function [1,2].

Why does pellagra cause diarrhea?

The main symptoms of pellagra are dermatitis, dementia, and diarrhea. This is because niacin deficiency is most noticeable in body parts with high rates of cell turnover, such as your skin or gastrointestinal tract.

What is pellagra disease?

Pellagra is a disease that occurs when a person does not get enough niacin (one of the B complex vitamins) or tryptophan (an amino acid).

How is pellagra treated?

Primary pellagra is treated with dietary changes and a niacin or nicotinamide supplement. It may also need to be given intravenously. Nicotinamide is another form of vitamin B-3. With early treatment, many people make a full recovery and start feeling better within a few days of starting treatment.

How can pellagra be cured?

Oral therapy with nicotinamide or niacin usually is effective in reversing the clinical manifestations of pellagra. Because patients are often malnourished and have other vitamin deficiencies, provisions for a high-protein diet and the administration of B-complex vitamins are needed for complete recovery.

What is pellagra skin disease?

Pellagra is a systemic disease caused by vitamin B3 (niacin) deficiency. It is characterised by the 4 D’s — dermatitis, diarrhoea, dementia and, if untreated, death. The name ‘pellagra’ is derived from the Italian ‘pelle agra’ meaning sour or rough skin.