A comparison study of lipid profile levels between skin tags affected people and normal population in Tehran, Iran

Authors

1 Skin and Stem Cell Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences; Department of Dermatology, Rasoul-e Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

2 Skin Diseases and Leishmaniasis Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan; Department of Dermatology, Rasoul-e Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Background: For many years the association of skin tags and endocrynopathies has been postulated, although many reports are available but it has never been evaluated to mean normal population. Dyslipidemia is a frequent disorder among people and seemed to be necessary for screening within skin tag condition. This study is designed to find any possible association between skin tags and dyslipidemia.
Materials and Methods: From April 2009 to June 2011, 168 patients enrolled the study. Among the remaining 152 patients, there were 89 females (58.5%) and 63 males (%41.5). Based on the TLGS study 136 men and 220 women enrolled the control group of study. The mean age was 28.4 years. Patients trained to have normal free diet for at least 1 month then referred to the laboratory. Blood samples were taken over 12 hours fasting with 2 hours intervals. Hypertriglyceridemia was defined as plasma level ≥160 mg/dl for men and ≥130 mg/dl for women. Hypercholesterolemia pointed at its value >200 mg/dl. Normal HDL levels was defined as >39 mg/dl for men and >35 mg/dl to women.
Results:
 Mean skin tag number was 12.6 per subject. The most frequent localizations of skin tags were neck and upper chest (mean number: 13.4, 48.9%) followed by axilla (mean number: 11.6, 33%) and breast (10.2, 10.1%) in the patient group. The mean cholesterol level of case group was 192.2 ± 33.1 mg/dl, while it was 187.0 ± 42 mg/dl in the control group). The mean ± SD for triglyceride was 132.1 ± 69 mg/dl in comparison to 129 ± 74 in the control group.
Conclusion: The study showed no significant differences between normal population and patients' lipid profile.

Keywords

1. Crook MA. Skin tags and the atherogenic lipid profile. J Clin Pathol 2000;53:873-4.  Back to cited text no. 1
    
2. Banik R, Lubach D. Skin tags: Localization and frequencies according to sex and age. Dermatologica 1987;174:180-3.  Back to cited text no. 2
    
3. García Hidalgo L. Dermatological complications of obesity. Am J Clin Dermatol 2002;3:497-506.  Back to cited text no. 3
    
4. Hud JA Jr, Cohen JB, Wagner JM, Cruz PD Jr. Prevalence and significance of acanthosis nigricans in an adult obese population. Arch Dermatol 1992;128:941-4.  Back to cited text no. 4
    
5. Mathur SK, Bhargava P. Insulin resistance and skin tags. Dermatology 1997;195:184.  Back to cited text no. 5
    
6. Norris PG, McFadden J, Gale E, Griffiths WA. Skin tags are more closely related to fasting insulin than fasting glucose levels. Acta Derm Venereol 1988;68:367-8.  Back to cited text no. 6
    
7. Agarwal JK, Nigam PK. Acrochordon: A cutaneous sign of carbohydrate intolerance. Australas J Dermatol 1987;28:132-3.  Back to cited text no. 7
    
8. Kahana M, Grossman E, Feinstein A, Ronnen M, Cohen M, Millet MS. Skin tags: A cutaneous marker for diabetes mellitus. Acta Derm Venereol 1987;67:175-7.  Back to cited text no. 8
    
9. Margolis J, Margolis LS. Skin tags: A frequent sign of diabetes mellitus. N Engl J Med 1976;294:1184.  Back to cited text no. 9
    
10. Rasi A, Soltani-Arabshahi R, Shahbazi N. Skin tag as a cutaneous marker for impaired carbohydrate metabolism: A case-control study. Int J Dermatol 2007;46:1155-9.  Back to cited text no. 10
    
11. Sudy E, Urbina F, Maliqueo M, Sir T. Screening of glucose/insulin metabolic alterations in men with multiple skin tags on the neck. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges 2008;6:852-6.  Back to cited text no. 11
    
12. Nabarro JD. Acromegaly. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 1987;26:481-512.  Back to cited text no. 12
    
13. Chobanian SJ, Van Ness MM, Winters C Jr, Cattau EL Jr. Skin tags as a marker for adenomatous polyps of the colon. Ann Intern Med 1985;103:892-3.  Back to cited text no. 13
    
14. Gould BE, Ellison RC, Greene HL, Bernhard JD. Lack of association between skin tags and colon polyps in a primary care setting. Arch Intern Med 1988;148:1799-800.  Back to cited text no. 14
    
15. Kawasaki H, Sawamura D, Nakazawa H, Hattori N, Goto M, Sato-Matsumura KC, et al. Detection of 1733insC mutations in an Asian family with Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome. Br J Dermatol 2005;152:142-5.  Back to cited text no. 15
    
16. Azizi F, Rahmani M, Emami H, Madjid M. Tehran lipid and glucose study: Rationale and design. CVD Prev 2000;3:242-7.  Back to cited text no. 16
    
17. Galadari I, Rajab H. The association between insulin resistance hyperlipidemia, obesity and skin tags. Int J Dermatol 2004;15:9-13.  Back to cited text no. 17
    
18. Senel E, Salmanoðlu M, Solmazgül E, Berçik Ýnal B. Acrochordons as a cutaneous sign of impaired carbohydrate metabolism, hyperlipidemia, liver enzyme abnormalities and hypertension: A case-control study. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2011. [In Press].  Back to cited text no. 18
    
19. Gorpelioglu C, Erdal E, Ardicoglu Y, Adam B, Sarifakioglu E. Serum leptin, atherogenic lipids and glucose levels in patients with skin tags. Indian J Dermatol 2009;54:20-2.  Back to cited text no. 19
[PUBMED]  Medknow Journal  
20. Erdoðan BS, Aktam S, Rota S, Ergin S, Evliyaoðlu D. Skin tags and atherosclerotic risk factors. J Dermatol 2005;32:371-5.  Back to cited text no. 20
    
21. Sari R, Akman A, Alpsoy E, Balci MK. The metabolic profile in patients with skin tags. Clin Exp Med 2010;10:193-7.  Back to cited text no. 21
    
22. Demir S, Demir Y. Acrochordon and impaired carbohydrate metabolism. Acta Diabetol 2002;39:57-9.  Back to cited text no. 22