Manifestaciones cutáneas de diabetes mellitus / Cross sectional search for skin lesions in 118 diabetic patients

ABSTRACT

Background: Thirty percent of patients with diabetes mellitus have some skin lesion that is directly related to the disease or caused by infections, complications or treatments used. Aim: To determine the frequency and type of skin lesions in diabetic patients. Material and methods: Cross sectional examination of 26 patients with type 1 diabetes, 75 patients with type 2 diabetes and 17 patients with gestational diabetes. A complete skin physical examination and a direct mycological examination and culture when Onychomycosis was suspected, were performed. Results: In 56 percent of patients, diabetes lasted more than 10 years and 52 percent had some complication of the disease. A mean of 1.4±0.1 skin lesions per patient was found among subjects with type 1 or 2 diabetes. No skin lesion was found in patients with gestational diabetes. The lesions found were Onychomycosis in 27 percent, diabetic dermatopathy in 17 percent, macroangiopathy in 15 percent, tine a corporis in 14 percent and neurosis in 14 percent. Conclusions: Onychomycosis is the most commonly found skin lesion in diabetic patient.