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A quantitative scale of acanthosis nigricans
J P Burke1, D E Hale, H P Hazuda
1Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio 78284-7873, USA. burkej@uthscsa.edu
Diabetes Care
|October 20, 1999
Summary
A new scale for acanthosis nigricans (AN) was developed and validated. This easy-to-use scale shows high reliability and correlates with key metabolic indicators like BMI and insulin levels.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Dermatology
- Genetics
Background:
- Acanthosis nigricans (AN) is a skin condition often associated with insulin resistance and obesity.
- Accurate and reliable assessment of AN is crucial for understanding its relationship with metabolic disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a reliable scale for assessing acanthosis nigricans (AN).
- To evaluate the scale's interobserver reliability and correlation with metabolic risk factors.
Main Methods:
- A scale for AN was developed and tested on 406 participants from diabetes and heart studies.
- Five body locations were examined for AN by at least two independent observers.
- Interobserver concordance and kappa statistics were calculated; comparisons with diabetes risk factors were performed.
Main Results:
- Only the neck examination demonstrated consistent high reliability (kappa statistics).
- Elevated AN strongly correlated with higher BMI and fasting insulin in both diabetic and non-diabetic individuals.
- AN also correlated with fasting glucose, blood pressure, and HDL levels in non-diabetic subjects, and total cholesterol in diabetic subjects.
Conclusions:
- A validated, user-friendly scale for AN was developed with high interobserver reliability, particularly in Mexican American populations.
- The scale demonstrates strong correlations with fasting insulin and BMI.
- This tool facilitates longitudinal and cross-sectional studies of AN and its role in genetic research.