Title:Skin Involvement in Paediatric Patients with Type 1 Diabetes
Volume: 18
Issue: 4
Author(s): Stefano Passanisi*, Giuseppina Salzano and Fortunato Lombardo
Affiliation:
- Department of Human Pathology in Adult and Developmental Age, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
Keywords:
Advanced glycation end-products, contact dermatitis, granuloma annulare, insulin, lipoatrophy, lipohypertrophy, necrobiosis lipoidica, skin autofluorescence.
Abstract: Skin involvement is an overlooked aspect in the management of paediatric patients with
type 1 diabetes. A comprehensive search of published literature using the PubMed database was
carried out using the following key terms: “children,” “pediatric/paediatric patients,” “skin,” “skin
disorders,” “type 1 diabetes.” Dermatological side effects are frequently observed among diabetic
children and adolescents. Insulin-induced lipodystrophies and allergic contact dermatitis caused by
insulin pumps or glycaemic sensors are the most common skin reactions in these patients. Furthermore,
several diabetes-associated skin diseases such as necrobiosis lipoidica, granuloma annulare,
vitiligo, and bullosis diabeticorum may already be present in paediatric patients. Paediatric diabetes
specialists should pay attention to their patients’ skin to recognize these disorders, identify the potential
causes, and choose the most suitable treatment. Finally, the evaluation of skin concentrations
of advanced glycation end-products using non-invasive diagnostic techniques may be used to
assess the risk of chronic complications of diabetes as early as adolescence.