Metabolic causes of leg ulcers

Abstract

Of all the causes of leg ulcers, metabolic reasons are very few. Diabetic ulcers are the most common manifestation of metabolic causes. It is a very rare occurrence that the ulcer will be the sole or initial manifestation of the underlying systemic disease. Much more common is the history of very poorly controlled diabetes treated by oral agents or insulin. The serum glucose as well as the glycosylated hemoglobin is often accompanied by glycosuria. The duration of the diabetes is not a hard and fast clue as to the course of the diabetes. Rather, the patient's history will often be full of multiple failures at tighter control of the diabetes.