A clinical study of idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis and its association with diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Objectives: To study the clinical profile of idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis (IGH) and its association with diabetes mellitus (DM). Materials and Methods: A 1-year descriptive study was carried out in clinically diagnosed cases of IGH. A detailed history was taken and a thorough dermatological examination was carried out in each case. Serum fasting blood sugar [FBS] and postprandial blood sugar (PPBS) levels were determined in all cases. FBS and PPBS were assessed in age- and sex-matched individuals without IGH who were included as the comparative group. Results: There were a total of 102 patients (n = 102) with IGH in the designated study period. The male/female ratio was 1:3.08. The mean age was 36.7 years. The most common age group was 61–70 years (29, 28.4%). History of chronic sun exposure was present in 19 (18.6%). Thirty-one patients (30.4%) showed lesions affecting upper limb, lower limb, and trunk. In the present study, 23 patients with IGH had DM. In the age- and sex-matched comparative group, 19 patients had DM (18.6%). The difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.498). In the present study, 17 patients (17/23, 73.9%) with IGH and DM had 20 lesions or more, while 6 patients (6/23, 26.1%) with IGH and DM had < 20 lesions. Among the 79 non-diabetic patients with IGH, 57 (72.2%) had 20 lesions or more and 22 (27.8%) had less than 20 lesions. This was not statistically significant (P = 0.868). Limitations: Small sample size was the major limitation. Conclusion: There was no association between IGH and DM in this study and there was no association between number of lesions of IGH and DM.