ABSTRACT
To calculate prevalence of incidental skin manifestations in patients with diabetes mellitus admitted for treatment of various other medical problems in a general medical ward of a teaching hospital, Lahore, Pakistan. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Hospital based study on admitted patients in a medical ward, Mayo Hospital, Lahore. Subjects: One hundred consecutive adult diabetic patients of any age and either sex admitted for various other diseases/problems. Main Outcome Measures: Skin manifestations. Out of 100 patients, 60% were males, and 40% females. Skin manifestations were seen in 90% of patients. Diabetic neuropathy was seen in 65.6%, cutaneous infections in 62.2%, pruritus in 46.7%, Diabetic dermopathy in 33.3%, skin tags in 21.1%, acanthosis nigricans in 16.7%, eruptive xanthomas in 8.9%, vitiligo in 6.7%, diabetic bullae in 5.6%, diabetic rubeosis in 5.6%, lichen planus in 4.4%, erysipelas like erythema in 4.4%, trophic ulcers in [3.3%], wet gangrene foot in 2.2% and necrobiosis lipodica, granuloma annulare and reacting perforating collagenosis in 1.1% each. Conclusions: There are many skin manifestations amongst diabetics who are also suffering from various other medical problems. Patients in routine do not give much importance to these lesions because they appear harmless to them. They do not seek advice of physician/surgeon/dermatologist unless they develop serious skin and soft tissue infections like carbuncles, trophic ulcers or gangrene