Original Research Article
Year: 2017 | Month: June | Volume: 7 | Issue: 6 | Pages: 56-64
A Hospital-Based Clinical Study of Cutaneous Changes in Overweight and Obesity
Sakral Arti, Vipin Gupta, Devraj Dogra
Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology; Government Medical College and Hospital Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Corresponding Author: Sakral Arti
ABSTRACT
Background: Obesity has been considered as one of the major epidemics of 21st century due to its detrimental effects on homeostatic milieu of the body. Not only internal organ systems but externally our so called external barrier, skin, also gets involved.
Objectives: To present a descriptive study regarding varied cutaneous manifestations in overweight (BMI=25 Kg/m2 -29.99 Kg/m2) and obese (BMI=/> 30 Kg/m2) population along with their prevalence in both overweight and different grades of obesity.
Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 300 overweight and obese individuals, enrolled from dermatology outpatient clinic on the basis of BMI. A thorough physical and cutaneous examination of all the enrolled patients was performed by a trained dermatologist and all the cutaneous changes were noted down along with their demographic and clinical details on a set proforma. The study was approved by Institutional Review Board.
Results: Out of 300 patients, 65(21.67%) were males and 235(78.33%) were females. Majority of the patients belonged to grade 1 obesity i.e. 52.67% whereas least no. of patients were of grade 3 obesity (3.33%). Acanthosis nigricans was the most commonest cutaneous change (74.67%) followed by cellulite (68%), and rogenetic alopecia (55.67%), acrochordons (46%), striae distensae (44.33%)and infections (43%). Acanthosis nigricans was leading in all the three grades of obesity with 100% involvement in grade 3 obesity. Similarly, acrochordons, keratosis pilaris, hirsutism, acne vulgaris, androgenetic alopecia, striae distensae, peizogenic pedal papules, cellulite, hidradenitis suppurativa, intertrigo, infections and psoriasis were also more common in grade 3 obesity.
Conclusion: A myriad of cutaneous changes have been seen in obesity. These changes may simply have cosmetic implications for patients, but for a clinician these serve as reflection of metabolic imbalance occurring internally.
Key words: Obesity, skin, metabolic syndrome.