Nailfold capillaroscopic changes in diabetes mellitus patients using hand held dermatoscope - A comparative observational study

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a state of chronic hyperglycemia responsible for significant mortality and morbidity rate due to its vascular complications. Nail fold capillaroscopy using dermatoscope is a quick, cost effective screening tool in identifying the patients having chronic diseases like diabetes mellitus. We aimed at observing the nailfold capillaries in diabetes patients using a hand held dermatoscope. To study nailfold capillaroscopic changes in diabetes mellitus patients using a dermatoscope. A comparative observational study was conducted involving 100 patients of diabetes mellitus and 100 healthy individuals for nail fold capillaroscopic changes using a dermatoscope over a period of 12 months. In our study, distribution of gender and age was comparable between patients with diabetes mellitus and healthy individuals. The capillaroscopic variables like tortuous capillary, receding capillary, capillary dilation, neoangiogenesis, avascular area, capillary dropouts and bizarre capillary were significantly higher in patients with diabetes mellitus as compared to healthy individuals .Other parameters like meandering capillary, bushy capillary, microhemorrhage, angulated capillary and subpapillary plexus visibility were not significant in diabetes mellitus patients. Nailfold capillaroscopy is a simple, quick and effective screening tool for identifying early signs of diabetes mellitus.