[The association of skin fibromas and intestinal polyps: an age-related effect]

To test the association between skin tags and colorectal polyps, 157 consecutive patients (60 men and 97 women, mean age 61.2 [17-92] years) who during their hospitalization had a coloscopy for gastro-enterological indications, underwent independently medical and dermatological examinations. 61 patients (38%) had colorectal polyps, 83 (53%) skin tags; 39 had both (24.8%). Thus the probability of having colorectal polyps was significantly higher for a person with than without skin tags (P = 0.033). But this relationship was entirely age-dependent. Discriminant analysis indicated that in addition to age (F = 15.1) the presence of skin tags (F = 1.2) was only a small additional factor in the recognition of those with colorectal polyps. Skin tags are thus of little help in the diagnosis of polyps in elderly patients.