Is Diabetes mellitus a risk factor for onychomycosis and tinea pedis?

Background Diabetes is an important disease with a frequency of 7.2% that leads to mortality and morbidity and impairs quality of life. The prevalence of skin symptoms in diabetes is 30% and a significant proportion of these are skin infections. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of onychomycosis and tinea pedis in patients with diabetes mellitus compared to non-diabetic control group with similar age and gender, to evaluate diabetic and epidemiological risk factors, and to determine the pathogens in onychomycosis and tinea pedis. Materyal and methods A total of 167 patients followed-up for diabetes were enrolled in the study. The control group comprised 150 individuals with similar age and gender characteristics with the diabetic group. The demographic data for each subject were recorded in a questionnaire form by face-to-face interview with the consent of the patient. Data recorded in this questionnaire included age, gender, type and duration of diabetes, and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1C) levels. Clinical samples were collected separately from the toenails and the surrounding area and from the plantar and interdigital area of the feet for direct microscopic examination and culture. Results The co-occurrence of diabetes and tinea pedis was significantly increased in this study. T. rubrum growth was seen in a substantial proportion of the cases and intertriginous type was the most frequently observed type, similar to normal population. In this study, the correlation between diabetes types and onychomycosis or tinea pedis was not significant while longer duration of diabetes was found to increase susceptibility to fungal infections. Conclusion It was concluded that the frequency of onychomycosis and tinea pedis, as an important cause of morbidity in diabetes, should routinely be surveyed, any infections should be treated, and patients should be given training regarding the protective measures and risk factors.