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Relationship Between Skin Diseases and Extracutaneous Complications of Diabetes Mellitus: Clinical Analysis of 750 Patients

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Abstract

Background

The relationship between skin diseases and extracutaneous complications in diabetes mellitus (DM) is unclear.

Objective

We aimed to investigate the relationship between skin disorders and diabetic neuropathy, nephropathy, and retinopathy in patients with DM.

Methods

A total of 750 patients with DM were prospectively enrolled. Demographic and clinical features, skin disorders, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, and presence of nephropathy, neuropathy, and retinopathy were noted.

Results

Of the patients, 38.0 % had neuropathy, 23.3 % had nephropathy, and 22.9 % had retinopathy. Any skin disorder was present in 79.2 % (n = 594) of patients. The most common skin manifestations were cutaneous infections (47.5 %), xerosis (26.4 %), and inflammatory skin diseases (20.7 %). The frequency of cutaneous infections, fungal infections, diabetic foot, rubeosis faciei, and pigmented purpuric dermatitis was higher in patients with nephropathy than in those without nephropathy. Cutaneous infections, diabetic foot, rubeosis faciei, and diabetic dermopathy were more common in patients with neuropathy. Fungal infections, diabetic foot, rubeosis faciei, diabetic dermopathy, and pigmented purpuric dermatitis were more frequent in patients with retinopathy. Patients with HbA1c ≥8 mmol/mL had more skin disorders than those with HbA1c <8 mmol/mL (P < 0.05 for all).

Conclusion

Skin disorders may be clues to the presence of associated microvascular complications of DM.

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Acknowledgments

No sources of funding were used to conduct this study or prepare this manuscript. The authors have no conflicts of interest that are directly relevant to the content of this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dermatology Clinic, Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Bilkent way, 3. Street, Ankara, 06800, Turkey

    Duriye Deniz Demirseren, Selma Emre, Gulsen Akoglu & Ahmet Metin

  2. Endocrinology Clinic, Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Bilkent way, 3. Street, Ankara, 06800, Turkey

    Dilek Arpacı & Bekir Cakır

  3. Ophthalmology Clinic, Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Bilkent way, 3. Street, Ankara, 06800, Turkey

    Aysegul Arman

Authors
  1. Duriye Deniz Demirseren
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  2. Selma Emre
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  3. Gulsen Akoglu
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  4. Dilek Arpacı
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  5. Aysegul Arman
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  6. Ahmet Metin
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  7. Bekir Cakır
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Correspondence to Duriye Deniz Demirseren.

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Demirseren, D.D., Emre, S., Akoglu, G. et al. Relationship Between Skin Diseases and Extracutaneous Complications of Diabetes Mellitus: Clinical Analysis of 750 Patients. Am J Clin Dermatol 15, 65–70 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40257-013-0048-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40257-013-0048-2

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