Cutaneous manifestations in patients with type ii diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is a common endocrine disorder characterized by a high serum glucose level and distrubances of carbonhydrate, protein and lipid metabolism Cutaneous manifestations of diabetes mellitus are common in diabetes, and observed in 30-71% of diabetic patients.The aim of this study was to determine the cutaneous manifestations in patients with type II diabetes mellitus and to investigate the relationship between these findings and age, sex, duration of diabetes, vascular complications, HbA1c levels.One hundred forty patients with type II diabetes mellitus who were followed at the Department of Endocrinology and attended to Department of Dermatology in the Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Medicine underwent dermatological examination. Duration of disease, presence of vascular complications and HbA1c levels were recorded. When necessary; Wood light, mycological, bacterial and histopathologic examinations were performed.Of the 140 patients, 53 were male and 87 were female,the mean age was 58,87±10,47 and the mean duration of diabetes mellitus was 8,06±7,03 years. Neuropathy was observed in 25.7 % of patients, retinopathy was observed in 23.6% of patients and nephropathy was observed 2.9% of patients. The mean HbA1c level was 7.26±1.66.At least one skin manifestation was detected in all of the patients. Skin tag (%52.9), mycotic infections (%38.6) and plantar hyperkeratosis (%32.9) were most frequently observed ones. The frequency of mycotic infections were determined to be significantly higher in male gender (p=0.047). Diabetic neuropathy, xerosis and diabetic dermopathy were observed more significantly in patients above 59 (the mean age) years of age (p=0.026, p=0,049 and p=0,008 respectively). There was a statistically significant relationship between the frequencies of diabetic neuropathy,palmar erythema, diabetic dermopathy and duration of diabetes mellitus (p= 0.003, p<0.0001 and p= 0.012, respectively). There was also a statistically significant relationship between the frequencies of palmar erythema; pigmented purpurıc dermatose, xerosis,dermatophytosis and the presence of diabetic neuropathy (p=0.005,p= 0.007,p=0.013 and p=0.015 respectively).There was no correlatıon between HbA1c levels and skin manifestations.Our study shows that varyfing types of skin manifestations can be observed in patients with type II diabetes mellitus. Therefore diabetic patients should be evaluated and followed up also for skin disorders.Key words: Diabetes mellitus type II, cutaneous manifestations