The prevalance of onychomycosis and tinea pedis, causative fungus in diabetes mellitus

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate prevalence and isolates of tinea pedis and onychomycosis in diabetes mellitus patients as compared with control population.Methods: We examined the prevalence of onychomycosis and tinea pedis in diabetics and control population who were admitted to Cukurova University School of Medicine Department of the Endocrinology Clinic and we compared it with that in a nondiabetic control group. A total of 167 diabetic subjects (77 males, 90 females), aged 52+14,0 (mean±SD) and 150 control subjects (75 males, 75 females), aged 49.8+14,3 (mean±SD) were evaluated. Clinical and mycological examinations were performed on all of diabetics and control population. Pearson x2 and student-t test were used for statistical evaluation.Results: The prevalences of onychomycosis in the diabetic and control groups were 38,4% and 24,0%, respectively and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). In diabetics with onychomycosis, dermatophytes were the most common causative fungus (70,0%), followed by yeasts and nondermatophyte molds in 22,5% and 7,5%, respectively. In tinea pedis, the distribution of dermatophytes, yeasts and nondermatophyte molds was 63,7%, 24,2%, and 12,1%, respectively. The presence of onychomycosis and tinea pedis was determined significantly in male gender in both diabetic and control groups (P<0,05). However no correlation was found between tinea pedis and onychomycosis with age, type of diabet and HbA1c (P>0,05). Duration of diabetes, peripheral vascular diseases of lower extremities, diabetic foot ulceration and peripheral neuropathy were observed significant predictors for onychomycosis and tinea pedis (P<0,05).Conclusions: Diabetics were found to be 1,5 times more likely to have onychomycosis and tinea pedis than the controls. Predisposing factors included male gender, duration of diabetes, impaired peripheral circulation, peripheral neuropathy, peripheral vascular diseases and diabetic foot ulceration. This study shows that seem to be an increased prevalence of tinea pedis and onychomycosis in diabetic patients as compared with nondiabetic group. Patients with diabetes would seem to have diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive needs to tinea pedis and onychomycosis that have been underestimated.Key words: Tinea pedis, onychomycosis, diabetes mellitus, causative fungus, complications.