Twenty cases of pellagra diagnosed on neuropathologic grounds were found among 74 necropsy cases of chronic alcoholism. Although these patients had various mental, neurologic, and gastrointestinal symptoms, the diagnosis of pellagra had not been made clinically because the majority had no skin lesions.
The authors urge that whenever chronic alcoholics present with certain mental, neurologic, or gastrointestinal symptoms, pellagra should be strongly suspected, even if no skin lesions are present (pellagra sine pelleagra).
Pellagra among chronic alcoholics: Clinical and pathological study of 20 necropsy cases.
