Abstract

Lahoor Basha Shaik, Dr. Kareemulla Shaik*, Dr. Suresh Sake and Ali Share

ABSTRACT

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the most common endocrinal disorder and is associated with a plethora of skin manifestations. The objective of our study was to determine the cutaneous fungal and viral manifestations of diabetes mellitus and their correlation with glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. Material and Methods: A total of 64 diabetic patients with cutaneous manifestations were studied. A detailed history and relevant investigations were done. The results were tabulated in tables and graphs. A chi-square test was used to correlate the skin manifestations with HbA1c levels. Results and Discussion: Among the 64 patients, majority of the patients were males and most of them belonged to the age group of 41-50 years. In the cutaneous spectrum studied, fungal infections were common in cutaneous infections. Most of the patients with skin manifestations had fair to poor control of diabetes mellitus (HbA1c > 7). There was a statistical significance in the HbA1c values obtained from those who had cutaneous fungal infections. Conclusion: The skin manifestations in diabetes mellitus are vast and extremely variable. They generally appear after the primary disease has developed but may signal or appear co-incidentally with diabetes. Our study highlights the importance of knowing the various skin manifestations in diabetes mellitus, which helps in early diagnosis and treatment of the condition, thereby preventing complications.