Treatment of Scleroderma Patients With a Scorbutic Diet: Negative Result

Scleroderma is characterized by hyperplasia of collagen, a substance which may require vitamin C for its biosynthesis. Eleven patients were treated with a vitamin C-deficient diet in order to determine whether lack of this substance would impair collagen synthesis and consequently improve the lesions of scleroderma. None of the signs or symptoms of scleroderma improved in any of the patients. Impairment of collagen synthesis profound enough to improve the lesions of scleroderma may require vitamin C deficiency of greater duration and severity than reported here.