Diabetes mellitus and the skin

Rev Endocr Metab Disord. 2016 Sep;17(3):269-282. doi: 10.1007/s11154-016-9373-0.

Abstract

Diabetes is a debilitating, life-threatening disease accounting in 2015 for the death of 5 million people worldwide. According to new estimations, 415 million adults currently suffer from the disease, and this number is expected to rise to 642 million by 2040. High glucose blood levels also affect the skin among systemic organs, and skin disorders can often predict the onset of this metabolic disorder. In this review, we address the pathomechanistic effects of diabetes on the skin and give an overview on the most common skin diseases associated with diabetes.

Keywords: Advanced glycation end products (AGEs); Antidiabetics; Diabetes; Diabetic foot syndrome; Induced pluripotent stem cells; Insulin; Mesenchymal stem cells; Skin.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Diabetes Complications*
  • Diabetes Mellitus*
  • Humans
  • Skin Diseases / etiology*