Skin Disorders in Diabetes Mellitus

The document from 2014 examines the wide range of skin disorders that are commonly associated with diabetes mellitus, which affects an estimated 300 million people globally. It notes that skin changes are often among the earliest signs of diabetes and can signal more serious internal complications like neuropathy and vasculopathy, or result from diabetes treatments. The diabetic foot syndrome, affecting 15-25% of diabetic patients, is highlighted for its significant health and economic impacts, with an interdisciplinary treatment approach being necessary. The document also covers the increased risk of skin infections in diabetic patients, including potentially fatal conditions like malignant otitis externa, and chronic skin conditions like diabetic dermopathy and necrobiosis lipoidica, which lack effective treatments. Additionally, it details various other diabetes-related skin conditions such as scleredema adultorum of Buschke, diabetic cheiroarthropathy, acanthosis nigricans, diabetic pruritus, vitiligo, HAIR AN syndrome, and lipodystrophy at insulin injection sites, discussing their characteristics, prevalence, and available treatments, which often focus on managing diabetes and its symptoms.