title: [Acanthosis nigricans: epidemiologic study of 69 cases].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acanthosis nigricans is a well-defined skin disorder with a distinctive appearance and an elective topography to the flexural areas that facilitate its diagnosis. In Tunisia, apart from isolated reports of malignant AN, few epidemiologic data are available.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In order to describe the characteristics of this affection, we conducted a retrospective study in the area of Tunis over a 12-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study of all the cases of AN seen in the dermatology department of Habib Thameur teaching hospital between 1991 and 2003, including the cases coming from the north and of the centre of Tunisia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-nine cases were recorded with a sex-ratio H/F of 0.17. The average age was 24.1 years (extremes of 3 and 66 years) and 57.9% of the patients were aged between 9 and 22 years. The neck (98.6%) and the axillae (75.4%) represented the most common localizations. All the patients presented a benign AN, comprising 51 cases of pseudo-AN, 11 cases of AN associated with endocrine diseases, 5 cases of familial AN and 2 cases of AN associated with an auto-immune disease. Local treatments associated an hypocaloric diet (AN with obesity) were recommended with a light improvement after 3 months an average follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The frequency of the AN is probably underestimated because of the usually asymptomatic character of this affection. AN constitutes a double cutaneous marker, being able to reveal either an hyperinsulinemia constituting a cardiovascular risk factor or an ignored subjacent neoplasm engaging the vital prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Service de dermatologie, Hôpital Habib Thameur, Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Amel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Souissi
authors.forename: Samy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fenniche
authors.forename: Rym
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Benmously
authors.forename: Hayet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Marrak
authors.forename: Sélima
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ben Jannet
authors.forename: Inçaf
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mokhtar
mesh_terms: D000052:Acanthosis Nigricans / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004700:Endocrine System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult