Prevalence of toe nail onychomycosis in diabetic patients

• Published in: Acta dermato-venereologica Vol. 86; no. 5; pp. 425 - 428
• Main Authors: SAUNTE, Ditte Marie L, HOLGERSEN, Jane B, HAEDERSDAL, Merete, STRAUSS, Gitte, BITSCH, Mikael, SVENDSEN, Ole L, ARENDRUP, Maiken C, SVEJGAARD, Else L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Uppsala Acta dermato-venereologica 2006
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Denmark - epidemiology; Dermatology; Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance; Diabetic Foot - epidemiology; Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases); Endocrinopathies; Etiopathogenesis. Screening. Investigations. Target tissue resistance; Female; Foot Dermatoses - epidemiology; Foot Dermatoses - pathology; Human mycoses; Humans; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mycoses; Mycoses of the skin; Onychomycosis - epidemiology; Onychomycosis - pathology; Prevalence; Denmark; Endocrinopathy; Human; Skin disease; Candidiasis; Prevalence; Mycosis; Dermatology; Diabetes mellitus; Toe; dermatophytosis; Epidemiology; Onychomycosis; Infection; tinea unguium; Nail disease; candidosis; Dermatophyte
• ISSN: 0001-5555; 1651-2057
• DOI: 10.2340/00015555-0113

Onychomycosis among diabetic patients has been reported in some studies to be of high prevalence. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of onychomycosis among diabetic patients at a Danish University Hospital. Clinical and mycological examinations were performed on type 1 and 2 diabetic patients from in- and out-patient clinics. A total of 271 patients were enrolled, 72% males, mean age 61.3 years, 26% of the patients had diabetes type 1. The prevalence of toe nail onychomycosis (positive culture and/or microscopy) was 22% (n = 59) of which 55 cases were caused by dermatophytes (93%) and 4 cases by yeasts (7%). A correlation was found between onychomycosis and age (p =0.02) and severity of nail changes (p <0.001), respectively. However, no significant correlation was found to gender, type of diabetes, lower extremity arterial disease, neuropathy, toe amputation or oedema. Onychomycosis occurred with a high prevalence in diabetic patients, especially among older patients and those with severe nail changes.