Cutaneous Manifestations in Obese Patients and Non-Obese Controls in a Tertiary Care Centre: A Case-Control Study

In a study conducted by Raghuveer Chekuri and Thameena Mohamed in 2019, 200 obese patients (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) and 200 age and sex matched controls (BMI: 18.5-24.9 kg/m2) were examined for cutaneous manifestations. The study found that obese patients had a higher prevalence of various skin conditions compared to the control group. The most common conditions were acanthosis nigricans, acrochordons, striae distensae, frictional hyperpigmentation, and infections. The study concluded that there was an increased incidence and severity of these cutaneous manifestations in obese patients compared to control subjects, suggesting these conditions could be used as markers for the early detection of various components of metabolic syndrome.