Diabetes

Diabetes and Dermatology

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disorder of metabolic dysregulation involving the abnormal   metabolism of glucose. Diabetes has a significant impact on the healthcare costs of the Western world. Nearly all patients with diabetes eventually develop cutaneous manifestations of the disease. Cutaneous signs of the disease can heighten the suspicions of a physician regarding the diagnosis of diabetes. This article will focus on the clinical features, pathogenesis, and treatment modalities of the various dermatologic manifestations of the disease ranging from the more benign granuloma annulare to the more sinister diabetic ulcer. Cutaneous signs of DM are extremely valuable to the clinician. For example, diabetic bullae, diabetic dermopathy, necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum, and the scleroderma-like syndrome of waxy skin with limited joint mobility can alert the physician to the diagnosis of diabetes, eruptive xanthomas reflect the status of glucose and lipid metabolism.