title: A study on the association of diabetic dermopathy with nephropathy and retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diabetic dermopathy is one of the most prevalent skin complications in diabetes patients. Some studies have pointed to association of diabetic dermopathy with retinopathy and nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes as microangiopathy presentations, but no rigorous study has been conducted to confirm this association.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated association of diabetic dermopathy with nephropathy and retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes referring specialty clinic of Shahrekord.
  
  
  METHODS
  This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted on 102 type 2 diabetes patients with dermopathy referring clinic constantly or as outpatient. Dermatological and ophthalmological examinations and examination for nephropathy were done for all patients. Demographic data and results of examinations and patients history, and biochemical tests were gathered and recorded by researcher developed checklists.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age of patients was 83.8 2.60 years, of whom 64 (63.7%) were female and 37.3% were male. Prevalence of retinopathy in patients was 4.31% and nephropathy 3.33%. In this study, significant associations of diabetic dermopathy with diabetic nephropathy (P= 0.001), with retinopathy (P< 0.001), age (P< 0.001), duration of diabetes (P = 0.001), and also with glycosylated hemoglobin (P< 0.01) was detected. No significant association between diabetic dermopathy and other studied variables was seen (P> 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results of this study confirm the association of diabetic dermopathy with retinopathy and nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes. Since dermopathy is usually developed before retinopathy and nephropathy, dermopathy could be used as a clinical finding in early diagnosis and prevention of retinopathy and nephropathy in diabetes patients.
authors.affiliation: Medical Plants Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mirhoseini
authors.affiliation: Students Research Committee, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
authors.forename: Nasrin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Saleh
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Momeni
authors.affiliation: Social Health Determinants Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Deris
authors.affiliation: Students Research Committee, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asadi-Samani
keywords: Dermopathy; Nephropathy; Retinopathy; Type 2 diabetes