Dermopathy and retinopathy in diabetes: is there an association?
OBJECTIVE
Diabetic dermopathy is the most common cutaneous marker of diabetes mellitus presenting as single or multiple well-demarcated brown atrophic macules, predominantly on the shins. Although diabetic dermopathy and diabetic retinopathy are both considered by some authors as manifestations of diabetic microangiopathy, only a few studies are published about their possible association. Our purpose was to investigate the association of diabetic dermopathy and diabetic retinopathy.


METHODS
We conducted a cross-sectional study in an outpatient diabetes clinic during a 6-month period. One-hundred and eighty-one consecutive patients (8 cases of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and 173 cases of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus) were examined for the presence of diabetic dermopathy and diabetic retinopathy.


RESULTS
Forty-seven (26%) showed diabetic dermopathy and 68 patients (37.6%) suffered from diabetic retinopathy. The frequency of retinopathy in patients with diabetic dermopathy (44%; 30 cases) was significantly greater than in patients without dermopathy (15%; 17 cases; p < 0.0001). Retinopathy showed a statistically significant association with dermopathy [odds ratio (OR): 3.60; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.53-8.44; p = 0.003] and diabetes duration (OR: 3.36; 95% CI: 1.67-6.77; p = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Our study further supports that diabetic dermopathy might be used as a telltale sign of diabetic retinopathy, necessitating more intensive ophthalmologic care, especially in long-lasting diabetes.
Abdollahi
Ali
A
Department of Ophthalmology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Daneshpazhooh
Maryam
M
Amirchaghmaghi
Elham
E
Sheikhi
Samira
S
Eshrati
Babak
B
Bastanhagh
Mohammad-Hassan
MH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000150:complications; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*