Cutaneous manifestations of diabetes mellitus. Study from Farwaniya hospital, Kuwait.
OBJECTIVE
To study the prevalence of cutaneous disorders in patients with diabetes mellitus.


METHODS
All diabetic patients attending the Department of Dermatology, Al-Farwaniya Hospital, Kuwait, and diabetic in-patients with skin disorders were examined over a period of 18 months from March 2004 to August 2005. A total of 106 diabetic patients displaying 1 or more dermatological manifestations were identified and thoroughly examined for any skin disorder. The diabetic profile of the patients was obtained from medical records.


RESULTS
Of the 106 patients, 69 had only 1 cutaneous manifestation, 27 had 2, 6 had 3 and 4 had 4. Infections (68.0%) were the major cutaneous manifestations with fungal infection occurring in 41 patients followed by bacteria in 27. The second most common presenting symptom was pruritus. Hypertension (74%) was the most common systemic complication, and most of the diabetic patients who developed cutaneous manifestations were in the 40- to 60-year age group.


CONCLUSIONS
The data show that infections were the most common cutaneous manifestation and hypertension the most common systemic complication.
Al-Mutairi
Nawaf
N
Department of Dermatology, Farwaniya Hospital, Kuwait. nalmut@usa.net
Zaki
Amr
A
Sharma
Ashok Kumar
AK
Al-Sheltawi
Mazen
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007730:Kuwait / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*