Scorbutic anemia

This code represents an anemia specifically caused by a deficiency of vitamin C, also known as scurvy. It indicates that the patient's low red blood cell count is a direct result of inadequate ascorbic acid intake or absorption, impacting iron metabolism and red blood cell production.

Use this code when documentation explicitly links anemia to scurvy or vitamin C deficiency. This typically occurs in cases of malnutrition, malabsorption, or chronic dietary inadequacy where laboratory findings confirm both anemia and low vitamin C levels.

• Ensure documentation clearly states the causal link between vitamin C deficiency and the anemia.
• Do not code with E54 (scurvy) as per the Excludes1 note; this code inherently implies scurvy as the underlying cause of the anemia.
• Consider sequencing this code as a secondary diagnosis if the primary reason for the encounter is the underlying cause of the vitamin C deficiency (e.g., severe malnutrition).