Acanthosis Nigricans in Obese Versus Non-Obese in a Tertiary Care Hospital: Association with BMI and Central Obesity

The study conducted at RIHS Islamabad examined 221 cases of acanthosis nigricans (AN) to explore the association of obesity, BMI, and central obesity with AN. The majority of participants were female (68.8%), with a mean age of 27 years. Obesity was prevalent in 65% of cases, and the neck was the most commonly affected site (98.6%). Benign AN was the most frequent type, followed by HAIR-AN syndrome. The study found no significant association between the types of AN and obesity. However, conditions like diabetes mellitus and polycystic ovaries were common among participants. The study recommended screening AN cases for obesity, PCOS, diabetes, hypertension, and autoimmune conditions to improve patient outcomes and quality of life.