Diabetic dermangiopathy - A micrometric study

Abstract

Aim Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the most common endocrine disorder and cutaneous disorders associated with DM are thought to occur in about one-third of patients. The present study was undertaken to assess the alterations in the small blood vessels. Methods Skin biopsies from 100 type 2 diabetic patients and 15 non-diabetic controls were studied to observe the dermangiopathic changes. The lumen diameter and basement membrane width were measured. Depending on deposition of PAS-positive material in the vessel wall, the dermangiopathic changes were graded as 1 +, 2 + and 3 +. Results 80% of the cases showed 2 + (69%) or 3 + (11%) changes. The other 20% cases showed 1 + change and were not taken as positive evidence of microangiopathy. Mean BMT was measured as 6.06 microns and mean LD was 53.9 microns. The mean BMT:LD ratio was 0.11. No correlation was observed between age, duration of diabetes, severity of disease, diabetic complications and microangiopathy. A positive correlation was observed between the grades of microangiopathy and the basement membrane thickness. Discussion Characteristic angiopathy is demonstrable in vessels of diabetic patients and the vessel basement membrane thickness is an important criterion to grade diabetic dermangiopathy.