Abstract
Background: Onychomycosis accounts for 30% of all superficial mycoses and 50% of all nail diseases. One of the most studied predisposing factors is diabetes mellitus, with a frequency of onychomycosis of 31.5% in these patients. Many show resistance to standard therapeutics and have “polypharmacy”, which represents a risk for pharmacological interactions. Objective: The objective was to assess the clinical response to therapy, evaluate with histopathology, direct examination with KOH and white-calcofluor, and culture the most frequent etiologic agents associated with the development of onychomycosis in patients with diabetes mellitus. Materials and Methods: A non-randomized, uncontrolled, open-ended, prospective cohort study was conducted on 46 patients with onychomycosis and diabetes mellitus. Treatment was assigned according to clinical findings and specific indications for treatment. Results: From the samples taken for direct examination with KOH and calcofluor-white, culture, and histopathological study, positive results were: 39 (84.1%) patients to the direct examination, 32 (69.6%) to the culture, 27 (65.2%) with a positive histopathological study, and 17 (54.86%) to the calcofluor-white. On clinical evaluation, we found no treatment response in 8 patients (20%), a partial response in 14 patients (25%), and a complete response in 18 patients (45%). Out of the 46 patients evaluated initially, 25 persisted with onychomycosis after six months of follow-up. Conclusion: The prevalence of onychomycosis is increasing and requires correct diagnosis since there are other non-fungal diseases of the nails that resemble onychomycosis. Presumably, the immunosuppression of diabetes, its systemic affection, and the foot abnormalities of a diabetic patient cause more nail dystrophy, an increased fungal load, and treatment resistance.
Highlights
Onychomycosis affects 5.5% of the general population [1] and accounts for 30% of all superficial mycoses and 50% of all nail diseases [2,3]
This study aimed to assess the clinical response to therapy and to evaluate with histopathology, direct examination with KOH and white-calcofluor, and culture the most frequent etiologic agents associated with the development of onychomycosis in patients with diabetes mellitus, both susceptible and resistant to standard treatment
At the end of the study, the patients underwent a new clinical evaluation and new samples were taken for direct examination with KOH and calcofluor-white, culture, and histopathological study
Summary
Onychomycosis affects 5.5% of the general population [1] and accounts for 30% of all superficial mycoses and 50% of all nail diseases [2,3]. One of the most studied predisposing factors is diabetes mellitus, with a frequency of onychomycosis of 31.5% in these patients. Objective: The objective was to assess the clinical response to therapy, evaluate with histopathology, direct examination with KOH and white-calcofluor, and culture the most frequent etiologic agents associated with the development of onychomycosis in patients with diabetes mellitus. The immunosuppression of diabetes, its systemic affection, and the foot abnormalities of a diabetic patient cause more nail dystrophy, an increased fungal load, and treatment resistance
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