Overview :

Deficiency of riboflavin (vitamin B2) results in a variety of clinical findings termed ariboflavinosis. Usually a deficiency in riboflavin is part of a mixed nutritional deficiency, so patients may show features of other vitamin deficiencies.

Oral disorders:

(1) cheilosis (fissures in the vermillion surface of the lips)

(2) stomatitis (oral mucosa)

(3) angular stomatitis

(5) glossitis, with swelling and the tongue a deep magenta (purple-red) color

(5) sore throat

Skin disorders:

(1) seborrheic dermatitis in face (nasolabial folds, ears, eyelids) and genital region (scrotum in male, labial majora in females)

(2) pruritis

(3) dyssebacea (sharkskin), associated with plugs of inspissated sebum

Ophthalmic disorders:

(1) corneal vascularization (rare in human deficiency)

(2) photophobia

(3) visual impairment

(4) burning sensation

(5) conjunctival injection

Hematological disorders:

(1) normochromic normocytic anemia with erythroid hypoplasia

(2) pancytopenia due to generalized marrow hypoplasia

McCormick DB. Chapter 22: Riboflavin. pages 391-3991 (page 396). IN: Shils ME, Olson JA, et al (editors). Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease, Ninth Edition. Williams & Wilkins. 1999.

McLaren DS. Chapter 30: Clinical manifestations of human vitamin and mineral disorders: A resume. pages 485-503 (page 492). IN: Shils ME, Olson JA, et al (editors). Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease, Ninth Edition. Williams & Wilkins. 1999.

Sauberlich HE. Laboratory Tests for the Assessment of Nutritional Status, Second Edition. CRC Press. 1999. pages 56-57.