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Background: Pellagra is caused by niacin (vitamin B3) deficiency and patients with pellagra present with a characteristic rash. Isoniazid disrupts intracellular niacin synthesis and might induce niacin deficiency. In 2017, Malawi scaled up continuous isoniazid preventive treatment (IPT) for tuberculosis prevention among people living with HIV. In addition, an under-diversified diet based on subsistence maize, as is commonly the case in Malawi, is a risk factor for pellagra. We aimed to investigate whether large-scale isoniazid exposure in Malawi contributed to the cumulative risk for pellagra in a nutritionally vulnerable population., Methods: We did a matched case-control study to evaluate the association between daily, continuous isoniazid exposure and pellagra. We matched sequentially enrolled patients with pellagra each with four control participants by sex and age from referral dermatology centres in three IPT scale-up districts in Malawi (Lilongwe, Blantyre, and Zomba) to evaluate isoniazid as a risk for pellagra using multivariable conditional logistic regression. We established a community clinic referral system surrounding the dermatology clinic in each district to enhance case-finding and included all patients with pellagra, regardless of referral status. The primary outcome was dermatologist-diagnosed pellagra. We calculated the interval between isoniazid initiation and rash onset and assessed 30-day clinical outcomes after multi-B vitamin treatment containing 300 mg nicotinamide daily., Findings: Between Feb 5 and Aug 9, 2019, we enrolled 197 patients with pellagra and 781 matched controls. Isoniazid exposure was associated with an increased risk of pellagra (adjusted odds ratio 42·6 [95% CI 13·3-136·6]). Significant covariates included HIV infection, referral status, food insecurity, underweight, excess alcohol consumption, and, among women, lactation. The median time from isoniazid initiation to rash onset was shorter during the season of food scarcity (5 months [IQR 3-7]) compared with the harvest season (9 months [8-11]; hazard ratio 7·2 [95% CI 3·2-16·2], log-rank p<0·0001). Those with isoniazid-associated pellagra who discontinued isoniazid and adhered to multi-B vitamin treatment showed 30-day clinical improvement., Interpretation: Continuous IPT scale-up and the annual period of food scarcity both increased the risk of pellagra in Malawi. Use of shorter rifamycin-based regimens for tuberculosis prevention and food fortification in populations with undernutrition might reduce this risk. Niacin-containing multi-B vitamin co-administration with isoniazid as pellagra prevention is worth exploring further., Funding: This study was supported by the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief through the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under project 7173., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests We declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Pellagra, caused by vitamin B3 (niacin) deficiency, is traditionally described as dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia (3D), and even death (4D) syndrome if not recognized and treated promptly. Although full-blown pellagra with all 3D features has become rare, pellagra still exists, especially in high-risk populations, which is actually more prevalent than we think. We report that a recently treated patient with the full spectrum of 3D clinical features of pellagra presents as chronic diarrhea of unknown etiology for 1 year. It reminds us that keeping a high index of suspicion and maintaining a broad differential diagnosis are critical for recognition and management of this potentially fatal but treatable condition., (© 2019 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.)

Background: While pellagra appears to be a rare entity currently, it may still develop. It is important to recognize how the disease manifests to ensure adequate and timely treatment., Case Presentation: We present a case of pellagra secondary to anorexia nervosa in a 28-year-old woman. We observed the classical signs: erythema in the neck region, diarrhea, and neurologic symptoms. Diagnosis was made on a clinical basis, and the patient had a rapid recovery after undergoing therapy with nicotinamide and tryptophan., Conclusions: In our case, the patient did not exhibit any sign of being severely underweight with marked malnutrition such as the typical manifestation expected in pellagra. This case demonstrated that clinicians should have a high level of suspicion in making a diagnosis of pellagra, especially in patients with a history of eating disorders., Level of Evidence: IV (case study).

The triad of diarrhea, dementia, and dermatitis constitutes the clinical diagnosis of pellagra. However, most reported cases of pellagra have occurred without all components of the triad. Pellagra was declared eradicated in the United States after an outbreak in the 1920s, and is now considered to be an exceedingly rare diagnosis in developed countries. In this article, we present a case of a 56-year-old man who presented with a significant history of alcohol use and chronic diarrhea. Pellagra was clinically diagnosed based on the triad of diarrhea, cognitive dysfunction, and dermatitis in this malnourished, alcoholic patient. The patient was treated and clinically improved with resolution of his diarrhea and cognitive dysfunction.

Pellagra is a type of dietary deficiency disease caused by an insufficiency of niacin or tryptophan. Symptoms of pellagra include diarrhea, dermatitis, and dementia. It is usually diagnosed based on a patient's dietary history and clinical symptoms. The diagnostic triad of pellagra includes symptoms of dermatitis, dementia, and diarrhea. Dermatitis is important for the diagnosis of this condition, because dementia and diarrhea show low specificity. In the modern era, pellagra rarely occurs in developed countries. However, pellagra should be considered in the differential diagnoses of dermatitis occurring on the sun-exposed areas of skin. Additionally, a hypoalimentation state with concomitant vitamin and/or zinc deficiency is observed in patients with pellagra. After checking the patient's overall nutritional status specifically with respect to pellagra, it is important to provide adequate food, supplemented with vitamins, zinc, and nicotinic acid to treat the patient's nutritional deficiencies.

Aim: To define the prevalence and clinical presentation of pellagra, a multi-systemic disease caused by the deficiency of niacin, in patients admitted to a tertiary addiction treatment centre in southern India, with alcohol dependence syndrome (ADS)-(ICD10)., Methods: Review of the health records of 2947 patients who received inpatient care for ADS between 2015 and 2017., Results: Out of 2947, 31 (1%) were diagnosed with pellagra. Nearly two-thirds (64.5%) of those with pellagra were from a low-income group. Of the clinical-triad of pellagra, all patients had dermatitis, more than half (58%) had delirium, a minority (19%) had diarrhoea. Nearly two-thirds (61%) had presented in a complicated-withdrawal state. Associated conditions included peripheral neuropathy (32%); Wernicke's encephalopathy (26%); seizures (16%).Seventeen (54%) had BMI <18.5 kg/m2. Treatment was a high dose of parenteral vitamins including niacin (mean dose: 1500 mg/day) for an average of 7.5 days followed by oral multivitamin supplements. All had complete resolution of pellagrous symptoms by the end of the three weeks of inpatient care., Conclusions: Pellagra is an acute medical condition, frequently encountered in the context of alcohol dependence and poverty. It often presents with other disabling and life-threatening comorbidities like delirium tremens and Wernicke's encephalopathy. The classical triad of pellagra is only seen in a minority of cases. Thus a high index of suspicion is required lest pellagra may remain undiagnosed. Prompt identification and treatment with a high dose of niacin in combination with other vitamins result in complete recovery., (© The Author(s) 2019. Medical Council on Alcohol and Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.)

Background: Pellagra, which is caused by a deficiency of niacin and tryptophan, the precursor of niacin, is a rare disease in developed countries where alcoholism is a major risk factor due to malnutrition and lack of B vitamins. Although pellagra involves treatable dementia and psychosis, it is often underdiagnosed, especially in developed countries., Case Report: In Japan, a 37-year-old man presented to the emergency department with altered mental status and seizures. Wernicke encephalopathy and alcohol withdrawal were suspected. The patient was treated with multivitamins, which did not include nicotinic acid amide, and oral diazepam. Despite medical treatment, his cognitive impairment progressively worsened, and eventually, pellagra was suspected. His response to treatment with nicotinic acid amide was substantial, and he was discharged without any long-term sequelae. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Despite the treatable dementia and psychosis, pellagra is often underdiagnosed, especially in developed countries and alcoholic patients. Pellagra should be routinely suspected in alcoholic patients because the response to appropriate treatment is typically dramatic., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Despite characteristic features, psoriasis can mimic other dermatologic conditions, such as seborrheic dermatitis, lichen simplex chronicus, and certain nutritional deficiencies such as pellagra. We present a patient with a longstanding history of severe plaque psoriasis who presented with disfiguring scaly plaques involving greater than 80% body surface area. The patient's disease was minimally responsive to multiple therapies. Repeat punch biopsies demonstrated parakeratosis, psoriasiform hyperplasia, and dilated blood vessels consistent with psoriasis. Given atypical clinical features and overall poor treatment response additional work up was obtained. A serum nutritional panel was consistent with niacin deficiency and the patient later revealed extensive alcohol intake. A diagnosis of concurrent pellagra was made and the patient was started on niacin supplementation and instructed to reduce alcohol intake, while continuing adalimumab and high potency topical steroids. Within two weeks, his disease had markedly improved. Pellagra presents characteristically with a photosensitivity dermatitis that may appear clinically and histologically similar to psoriasis. It is important to maintain an index of suspicion for a secondary pathology in treatment-resistant psoriasis.

Deficiency of multiple vitamins can be identified in alcoholic and malnourished patients. We report a patient with Wernicke encephalopathy, a B1 deficiency and pellagra, a niacin deficiency. A 61-year-old Japanese man presented with generalised weakness. He had drunk alcohol heavily for more than a year without eating adequate meals. Physical examination showed disorientation, eye movement impairment, muscle wasting and a rash over the limbs. Multivitamin supplementations improved all the symptoms. Pellagra causes dementia, diarrhoea, or dermatitis, and can mimic non-specific erythaema in alcoholics. The differential diagnosis between pellagra and non-specific erythaema is important because of the treatability of pellagra by niacin supplementation., (2015 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.)

Flaky paint dermatosis, characterized by extensive, often bilateral areas of flaking and pigmentation, mostly in sun unexposed areas is considered a feature of kwashiorkor in both children and adults, and must be differentiated from other dermatosis, including chapped and xerotica skin, and pellagra. In this case series we provide evidence that malnourished patients with flaky paint dermatosis and infection/inflammation shown laboratory data suggestive of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) activation, besides decreased urinary excretion of N1-methylnicotinamide (N1 MN), a marker of pellagra. We study nine adult patients showing flaky paint dermatosis and clinical features of infection or inflammation, and increased serum C-reactive protein, characteristic of the presence of acute phase response syndrome. As a group, they had low or deficient urinary N1 MN excretion (0.52 ± 0.39 mg/g creatinine) compatible with pellagra. They also showed low serum tryptophan levels (<29 μmol/L) and a serum kynurenine/tryptophan ratio higher than 0.04, suggesting increased IDO expression and increase in the tryptophan oxidation. Findings suggest that some patients with flaky paint dermatosis showed laboratory data suggestive of IDO activation, besides decreased N1 MN urinary excretion. Taken together, the data support the idea that flaky paint dermatosis could be a skin manifestation of niacin deficiency., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Systemic exposure to drugs, chemicals and foods can cause abnormally colored urine. Food exposures are typically benign, but urine discoloration due to chemicals or drugs may indicate a potentially dangerous condition. Discolored urine can also be caused by medical problems. This brief report reviews the laboratory findings leading to lactic acidosis and elevated urine urobilinogen in an alcoholic patient with pellagra., Design and Methods: A 66-year-old male, found unconscious in his hotel room, was brought to the emergency department (ED). Upon arrival he had hypothermia, a diffuse rash and altered mental status. During ED evaluation, a urinary catheter was placed and demonstrated black urine. Medical history noted chronic alcoholism, malnutrition, and poor self-care., Results: Evaluation in the hospital suggested that his rash and neurologic changes were a result of malnutrition and vitamin deficiency. A thorough biochemical workup demonstrated that elevated urobilinogen was likely causing the patient's black urine. Serum niacin concentration was undetectable. His dermatitis improved with multivitamins, thiamine, and niacin as well as topical steroids. His mental status returned to baseline and he was discharged to a skilled nursing facility following a brief hospital stay., Conclusions: The patient's abnormal laboratory results were explained by his alcoholism and poor nutrition. Furthermore, urine color returned to normal with decreased concentration of urobilinogen, after vitamin supplementation and supportive medical care., (Copyright © 2014 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Historical and clinical aspects of pellagra and its relationship to alcoholism are reviewed from a biochemical perspective. Pellagra is caused by deficiency of niacin (nicotinic acid) and/or its tryptophan (Trp) precursor and is compounded by B vitamin deficiencies. Existence on maize or sorghum diets and loss of or failure to isolate niacin from them led to pellagra incidence in India, South Africa, Southern Europe in the 18th century and the USA following the civil war. Pellagra is also induced by drugs inhibiting the conversion of Trp to niacin and by conditions of gastrointestinal dysfunction. Skin photosensitivity in pellagra may be due to decreased synthesis of the Trp metabolite picolinic acid → zinc deficiency → decreased skin levels of the histidine metabolite urocanic acid and possibly also increased levels of the haem precursor 5-aminolaevulinic acid (5-ALA) and photo-reactive porphyrins. Depression in pellagra may be due to a serotonin deficiency caused by decreased Trp availability to the brain. Anxiety and other neurological disturbances may be caused by 5-ALA and the Trp metabolite kynurenic acid. Pellagra symptoms are resolved by niacin, but aggravated mainly by vitamin B6. Alcohol dependence can induce or aggravate pellagra by inducing malnutrition, gastrointestinal disturbances and B vitamin deficiencies, inhibiting the conversion of Trp to niacin and promoting the accumulation of 5-ALA and porphyrins. Alcoholic pellagra encephalopathy should be managed with niacin, other B vitamins and adequate protein nutrition. Future studies should explore the potential role of 5-ALA and also KA in the skin and neurological disturbances in pellagra.

Pellagra is caused by deficiency of niacin or its precursor tryptophan. While cutaneous lesions are the most prominent feature of the disease, gastrointestinal, neurological and psychiatric signs and symptoms are the other characteristics of the disease. In this case report, we present a 29-year-old female patient with discoloration of hands and feet diagnosed with pellagra.

Aims: The aim of the study was to review and describe the Alcoholic Pellagra Encephalopathy, a severe neuropsychiatric condition caused by a combination of niacin (vitamin B3) deficiency and alcohol abuse., Methods: PsychInfo, Medline and Embase databases were searched for peer-reviewed studies addressing this illness., Results: A historical and conceptual review of the psychopathological aspects of this condition is offered, followed by the report of a patient with a history of chronic alcohol consumption showing signs of pellagra, delusions and visual hallucinations, which was treated successfully with niacin., Conclusion: Pellagra encephalopathy should still be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute psychotic disorders seen in the context of chronic alcoholism.

This case has been presented as pellagra, which is very rare in children. Pellagra is due dietary deficiency of niacin. Usually seen in alcoholics, malabsorption syndromes occur very rarely in children. A 11-y-old girl presented with well-defined, hyperpigmented, hyperkeratotic, symmetrical, thick scaly plaques surrounded by erythema on the dorsum of the hands, arms, feet, legs up to knees, and along the sides of the neck. The child was given 100 mg of Nicotinamide. Skin lesions resolved rapidly with the treatment and the child improved., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Pellagra is a complex systemic disease resulting from inadequate dietary intake of coenzyme precursors nicotinamide and tryptophan. Improved nutritional habits in most developed economies have led to a decrease in clinicians' and researchers' attention to this condition and its pathophysiological bases, although new cases of pellagra have recently been identified in association with alcohol abuse and HIV infection in Western countries. Pellagra is characterized by a complex clinical picture, which can include neuropsychiatric symptoms and Parkinsonian features. Interestingly, pellagra and Parkinson's disease could share some basic pathophysiological mechanisms at the level of nicotinamide metabolism, resulting in mitochondrial dysfunction and alterations in dopaminergic pathways. Both neuropsychiatric and motor symptoms were mentioned in historical reports of pellagra cohorts. Here we present the English translation of the first detailed description of an original case of pellagra with Parkinsonian features, documented in a clinical note by Dr Giuseppe Paravicini one century ago.

Introduction: Wernicke's encephalopathy caused by thiamine deficiency is typically characterised by a mental-status change, oculomotor dysfunction and an ataxia. Pellagra is the clinical presentation of niacin deficiency comprising cutaneous, gastrointestinal and neuropsychiatric manifestations., Observation: We report a case of encephalopathy due to dual vitamin deficiency of both thiamine (vitamin B1) and niacin (vitamin PP) in an 80-year-old women, hospitalized for severe sepsis caused by aspiration pneumonia. Severe malnutrition and alcohol consumption pointed to a diagnosis of vitamin deficiency. The clinical presentation and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were compatible with Wernicke's encephalopathy that remained irreversible despite vitamin B1 supplementation. Niacin supplementation allowed for complete regression of the observed symptoms compatible with niacin deficiency., Conclusion: Malnourished and alcoholic patients showing signs of encephalopathy should receive supplemental multivitamins including niacin., (Copyright © 2012 Société nationale française de médecine interne (SNFMI). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.)

Pellagra is characterized by dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia and eventually death occurring as a result of niacin or its precursor tryptophan deficiency. Although pellagra is a well-known complication of isoniazid (INH) therapy, the clinical diagnosis may be missed or delayed that may cause life-threatening consequences. Due to the diversity of pellagra-related signs and symptoms, the diagnosis can be made with an appropriate index of suspicion. We report a 7-year-old boy presenting with INH-induced pellagra that resolved after the administration of the niacin therapy.

A 42-year-old male patient, alcoholic, presented showing signs of tumors in the neck and around the shoulders, scaly, erythematous-violaceous lesions and some bullous lesions in sun-exposed areas of upper and lower limbs. Based on clinical features, laboratory tests and imaging studies we have established the diagnosis of pellagra associated with benign symmetrical lipomatosis, both justified by chronic alcoholism. Treated with intravenous B-complex and oriented about the importance of alcohol withdrawal, the patient showed complete remission of skin lesions, but with no change in the lipomatosis.

A 67-year-old woman with chronic alcoholism was referred to our hospital with a 3-month history of progressive weakness in all four extremities and a 5-day history of hoarseness. On admission, she presented with glossitis and laryngitis. Neurological examination revealed weakness in all extremities and nerve conduction studies showed polyneuropathy. She was diagnosed with thiamine deficiency and administered intravenous multivitamins, including thiamine, pyridoxine and mecobalamin. Although the weakness in her extremities was ameliorated after treatment, her glossitis and laryngitis did not improve and psychosis subsequently occurred. After administration of nicotinamide, her psychosis and laryngitis dramatically improved. She was diagnosed with pellagra after detection of decreased serum levels of niacin and thiamine. Weakness may have been due to thiamine-deficient neuropathy or multiple vitamin deficiencies, as it improved with thiamine, pyridoxine and mecobalamin therapy. Because of lack of response to thiamine therapy, we concluded that the psychosis and laryngitis were caused by pellagra. Although stomatitis and glossitis in pellagra has been well documented, laryngitis and hoarseness appear to be very uncommon conditions. Differences in the turnover rates or energy requirements between the gastrointestinal tract and larynges may be a reason for the rarity of laryngeal involvement in pellagra. We should be vigilant to hoarseness, caused by laryngitis, which can be the predominant symptom in pellagra., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Pellagra is the clinical manifestation of niacin deficiency. The classical manifestations of pellagra include diarrhea, dementia, and dermatitis, but not all patients with pellagra present with all three manifestations. In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience Hiraga et al. present an interesting patient with pellagra who has laryngitis and hoarseness. Clinicians should remain alert for both the common and uncommon clinical manifestations of pellagra., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This paper discusses the contribution of Spanish neurologist Manuel Peraita (1908-1950) to the study of deficiency neuropathy in the setting of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). The clinical characteristics of "paraesthetic-causalgic syndrome" or "Madrid syndrome" as described by Peraita are discussed, and the syndrome is presented in relation to other similar conditions, including Strachan's syndrome and burning feet syndrome.

Encephalopathy due to hepatic or renal failure, electrolyte disturbances, or the administration of benzodiazepines and narcotics is commonly encountered, well reviewed in the literature, and, therefore, not usually missed. This article focuses on encephalopathies that were previously well described but may be overlooked by modern clinicians, as well as those that are still taught in the classroom but seldom thought of in practice. Due to the presumed relative rarity of these cases and emphasis on the well-memorized "classic" clinical presentations, these often treatable, and perhaps not so rare, encephalopathies due to systemic medical illness may go undiagnosed and untreated. Pancreatic encephalopathy, Wernicke's encephalopathy, and pellagra encephalopathy are reviewed in detail; cefepime and ifosfamide encephalopathies are discussed as examples of specific medication-induced encephalopathies. Septic encephalopathy, central pontine myelinolysis, and fat embolism syndrome are briefly reviewed. The encephalopathies reviewed have the potential for devastating neurological consequences if recognition and, therefore, treatment are delayed. Clinical improvement for many of these syndromes depends on prompt intervention. This article highlights some representative examples of less-commonly diagnosed metabolic and toxic encephalopathies.

Background: Pellagra is a rare clinical syndrome caused by niacin deficiency, and although most commonly nutritional in origin, may be secondary to carcinoid syndrome., Case: A premenopausal nulliparous woman with metastatic carcinoid tumor developed isolated vulvovaginal manifestations characterized by well-demarcated symmetrical vulvar erythema, mild scaling, ulcerations, and dyspareunia. Tryptophan levels were low. Treatment with nicotinamide resulted in dramatic improvement; however, after 2 years of effective treatment, she developed lichen sclerosus., Conclusion: Patients with carcinoid tumor presenting chronic vulvar lesions should be evaluated for pellagra. Subsequent development of lichen sclerosus at the site of vulvar dermatosis may be a feature of the "Koebner phenomenon," which describes appearance of lichen sclerosus in scarred areas or sites prone to friction.

Pellagra is associated with low levels of vitamin B3 (niacin) and/or tryptophan and often involves other other B vitamins. Since the time Gasper Casal first described the disease in 1972, it was observed that the patients with pellagra were all poor, subsisted mainly on maize, and rarely ate fresh meat. Subsequent occurrences have been in the form of epidemic outbreaks, consequent to either introduction to maize as a major food or increased consumption of other niacin-deficient diets like Jowar (Sorgum vulgare). The virtual disappearance of pellagra as an endemic health problem in recent years can be attributed to a rise in the standard of living of farmers and diversification of the diet globally. The clinical picture is a combination of multisystem alterations typically involving gastrointestinal, skin and central nervous system abnormalities. The cardinal manifestations have been popularly known as the three D's, which are dementia, dermatitis and diarrhea. Psychiatric manifestations are fairly common but are easily overlooked due to their non specific nature. These are commonly seen as irritability, poor concentration, anxiety, fatigue, restlessness, apathy and depression. The occurence of psychosis in pellagra is an uncommon finding, which is usually seen in advanced stages of pellagroid encephalopathy, commonly found in chronic alcoholics. Delusional parasitosis has been also reported in this condition, although the association is still controversial. We report a case of pellagra manifesting with delusional parasitosis in a man whose delusion resolved rapidly after he started niacin-augmentation therapy. This case may provide clues to the biological underpinnings of delusional parasitosis as well as niacin treatment as treatment option in similar cases.