Pattern of cutaneous manifestations in diabetes mellitus.
BACKGROUND
Diabetes mellitus affects individuals of all ages and socioeconomic status. Skin is affected by the acute metabolic derangements as well as by chronic degenerative complications of diabetes.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the prevalence of skin manifestations in patients with diabetes mellitus. To analyze the prevalence and pattern of skin disorders among diabetic patients from this region of Western Himalayas.


METHODS
One hundred consecutive patients with the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus and having skin lesions, either attending the diabetic clinic or admitted in medical wards were included in this study.


RESULTS
The common skin disorders were: Xerosis (44%), diabetic dermopathy (36%), skin tags (32%), cutaneous infections (31%), and seborrheic keratosis (30%).


CONCLUSIONS
Skin is involved in diabetes quite often and the manifestations are numerous. High prevalence of xerosis in our diabetic population is perhaps due to cold and dry climatic conditions in the region for most of the time in the year.
Goyal
Abhishek
A
Department of Medicine, Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla - 171 001, HP, India.
Raina
Sujeet
S
Kaushal
Satinder S
SS
Mahajan
Vikram
V
Sharma
Nand Lal
NL