Bhola Nath; Shiv Dutt Gupta; Ranjeeta Kumari
Abstract
Background: Diabetes mellitus is a non-communicable disease that affects all the body’s organ systems, including the dermatologic system. Skin lesions can cause discomfort, harm one’s quality of life (QOL), and increase treatment costs. The objective of conducting this study was to compare ...
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Background: Diabetes mellitus is a non-communicable disease that affects all the body’s organ systems, including the dermatologic system. Skin lesions can cause discomfort, harm one’s quality of life (QOL), and increase treatment costs. The objective of conducting this study was to compare the proportion of dermatologic comorbidities, the direct cost of treatment, and the QOL between cases and controls.Methods: The study was conducted in a medical college hospital in the hilly region of Uttarakhand using a case-control design. Cases were recruited from the Outpatient Department (OPD) and controls from the hospital. Comparisons were made for the presence of skin diseases between 195 patients with diabetes andan equal number of age and gender-matched non-diabetics. The independent t-test was used to compare QOL and treatment cost between the two groups.Results: The risk of skin diseases was 5.3 times higher in cases than in controls. The proportion of skin diseases in cases was 36.4% versus 9.7% in controls. Limitations: There is a probability that the QOL scores could be lower and the treatment cost higher than that observed.Conclusion: The proportion of skin disorders and the mean direct cost of treatment was reported to be significantly higher among cases.
ZB Mousavi; A Ebrahimi; M Mirian
Volume 5, Issue 1 , 2001, , Pages 9-19
Abstract
Background: During imposed war (1980-1988) Iraq frequently used chemical warfare particularly mustard gas. Skin is frequently involved in victims. Objective: Our main objective was to evaluate chronic skin manifestations due to exposure to mustard gas 10-19 years after exposure in a case-control study. ...
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Background: During imposed war (1980-1988) Iraq frequently used chemical warfare particularly mustard gas. Skin is frequently involved in victims. Objective: Our main objective was to evaluate chronic skin manifestations due to exposure to mustard gas 10-19 years after exposure in a case-control study. Patients and Methods: 101 chemically wounded combators and 121 non-chemically wounded combators were randomly selected and examined by dermatologists. Laboratory tests were done for 30 subjects in each group. Data were analyzed by SPSS/PCT # 5 software using student-t and chi-square tests with Yates correction. Results: Seven itching, burning sensation, skin tightness and dryness, hypo and hyper pigmentation, telangiectasia, melanocytic nevus, cherry angioma, lichenification, alopecia areata, recurrent aphthous stomatitis, tinea versicolor, acute eczema on lower extremities were significantly more common in chemically wounded than the control group. Lymphopenia, lower serum IgM, and higher serum IgG wee also more common in the exposed group. Conclusion: Several skin disorders are more common in chemical gas victims, even several years after exposure. This finding shows that more research on various subjects such as alterations in immune system, adequate training on protective measures, pathophysiology of pruritus and molecular changes are necessary to find better treatment and effective vaccine.
