Study identifies skin issue as cause of liver damage in Indian diabetics
Researchers from Fortis C-DOC Hospital for Diabetes and Allied Sciences and AIIMS said on Monday that a skin condition that causes thickening, dark pigmentation, and a velvety appearance of the skin at the nape of the neck in people with Type 2 diabetes may be a sign of a higher risk of liver cell damage (fibrosis).
Acanthosis nigricans, a skin disorder that is readily recognized, is frequently located around the nape of the neck and is typically prevalent in patients who are insulin resistant. The researchers noted in a statement that it may also appear in other places such as the axillae, elbows, knees, and groin.
“Acanthosis Nigricans has the potential to be used as an easy-to-identify clinical marker for the risk of hepatic fat and fibrosis in Asian Indians with type 2 diabetes, allowing for early detection and management strategies,” according to a research published in the journal Primary Care Diabetes.
The results are noteworthy due to the very high percentage of Indians living with insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes at an early age.
“We made important observations indicating an independent association between the presence of Acanthosis Nigricans and hepatic steatosis and fibrosis (adverse markers of liver damage) in this case-control study involving patients with Type 2 diabetes,” said Dr. Anoop Misra, Padma Shri, who is the executive chairman and director of diabetes and endocrinology at Fortis C-Doc Hospital.
The researchers looked at 300 participants for the study—300 with Type 2 diabetes, 300 with Acanthosis Nigricans, and 300 without the skin ailment.
They discovered that people with a family history of type 2 diabetes, women, and those who are overweight or obese are more likely to have this skin condition.
“Strongest, with fasting insulin and glucose levels, and insulin resistance as compared to the disease at other sites, that is, axilla and knuckles,” was the association seen between the severity of neck Acanthosis Nigricans.
