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The nail under fungal siege in patients with type II diabetes mellitus

Gérald E Piérard1, Claudine Piérard-Franchimont

  • 1Department of Dermatopathology, University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium. gerald.pierard@ulg.ac.be

Mycoses
|August 24, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Diabetic patients, especially men, have a higher risk of developing onychomycosis, a fungal nail infection. This study highlights the increased prevalence of this condition in diabetics compared to non-diabetics.

Area of Science:

  • Dermatology
  • Mycology
  • Diabetology

Background:

  • Onychomycosis is a common nail infection with significant morbidity.
  • The prevalence of onychomycosis in diabetic populations requires further investigation.
  • Diabetic patients face an increasing burden of fungal infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of dermatophyte, yeast, and non-dermatophytic mould onychomycoses in diabetic adults.
  • To compare the prevalence of onychomycosis in diabetic versus non-diabetic individuals.
  • To analyze the impact of diabetes on nail pathologies.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective study involving 190 type II diabetic patients and a matched control group.
  • Collection of toenail clippings over three years.
  • Combined histomycology and cultures to differentiate onychomycosis from onychodystrophy.

Main Results:

  • Diabetic patients exhibited a higher proportion of onychomycosis compared to non-fungal onychodystrophy.
  • Diabetic men were more frequently affected by onychomycosis and onychodystrophy than women.
  • Dermatophytes were the predominant fungal pathogens in both groups.

Conclusions:

  • Diabetic individuals, particularly men, are at an elevated risk for onychomycosis.
  • The clinical significance of onychomycosis in diabetic foot care warrants greater clinician attention.
  • Early recognition and management of onychomycosis are crucial for diabetic patients.

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