Skin, joint, and pulmonary changes in type I diabetes mellitus
B. Buckingham, A. J. Perejda, C. Sandborg, A. K. Kershnar and J. Uitto
Three hundred seventy-five patients with diabetes mellitus were examined
for the presence of sclerodermalike skin changes, limited joint mobility,
and vital capacity changes. Nineteen percent of patients had vital
capacities 2 SDs below the mean of predicted values. There was no
significant relationship between decreased vital capacities and duration of
diabetes, sclerodermalike skin changes, limited joint mobility, smoking
history, proteinuria, or retinopathy. Cutaneous involvement consisting of
thickening, tightening, and/or a waxy quality of the skin was noted in 190
patients (51%). The severity of skin involvement correlated positively with
the patients' duration of diabetes, age, severity of joint contractures,
and diabetic retinopathy. Thus, sclerodermalike skin changes appear to
reflect generalized connective tissue alterations in diabetes and may
indicate increased risk for diabetic microvascular complications.
