DIABETIC DERMOPATHY AND INTERNAL COMPLICATIONS IN DIABETES-MELLITUS

Background Diabetic dermopathy is the most common cutaneous marker of diabetes mellitus. The relationship of diabetic dermopathy to internal complications of diabetes mellitus, such as nephropathy, retinopathy, and neuropathy, is still unknown. Methods The possible role of diabet ic dermopathy as a clinical sign of internal complications in diabetes mellitus was investigated. One hundred and seventy-three patients wit h diabetes mellitus, of whom 125 (72%) had insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and 48 (28%) had non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, wer e studied. Results Diabetic dermopathy was present in 69 (40%) of pati ents, statistically more significant in patients 50 years of age and o lder. The mean diabetic duration was significantly higher in patients with diabetic dermopathy than in those without. The associations of di abetic dermopathy with retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy were e ach statistically significant, and the increased frequency of diabetic dermopathy correlated with an increased number of these three complic ations in each patient. Conclusions Some of the factors that affect th e development of internal complications in diabetes mellitus may play a role in the development of diabetic dermopathy, and diabetic dermopa thy may serve as a clinical sign of an increased likelihood of these i nternal complications in diabetic patients.