Diabetic ketoacidosis: a challenging diabetes phenotype

Cross-sectional study of the association between skin tags and vascular risk factors in a bariatric clinic-based cohort of Irish adults with morbid obesity

OBJECTIVE

Skin tags are associated with an insulin resistant phenotype but studies in White Europeans with morbid obesity are lacking. We sought to determine whether the presence of cervical or axillary skin tags was associated with increased cardiovascular risk in Irish adults with morbid obesity. We conducted a cross-sectional study of patients attending our Irish regional bariatric centre with a BMI ≥ 40 kg m^-2 (or ≥ 35 kg m^-2 with co-morbidities). We compared anthropometric and metabolic characteristics in those with versus without skin tags.

RESULTS

Of 164 patients, 100 (31 male, 37 with type 2 diabetes, 36 on lipid lowering therapy, 41 on antihypertensive therapy) participated. Mean age was 53.7 ± 11.3 (range 31.1-80) years. Cervical or axillary tags were present in 85 patients. Those with tags had higher systolic blood pressure 138.0 ± 16.0 versus 125.1 ± 8.3 mmHg, p = 0.003) and HbA1c (46.5 ± 13.2 versus 36.8 ± 3.5 mmol/mol, p = 0.017). Tags were present in 94.6% of patients with diabetes, compared to 79.4% of those without diabetes (p = 0.039). Antihypertensive therapy was used by 45.8% of patients with skin tags compared to 13.3% without tags (p = 0.018). In bariatric clinic attenders skin tags were associated with higher SBP and HbA1c and a higher prevalence of diabetes and hypertension, consistent with increased vascular risk, but lipid profiles were similar.

Risperidone-induced type 2 diabetes presenting with diabetic ketoacidosis

A 28-year-old male presented with 2 days of vomiting and abdominal pain, preceded by 2 weeks of thirst, polyuria and polydipsia. He had recently started risperidone for obsessive-compulsive disorder. He reported a high dietary sugar intake and had a strong family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). On admission, he was tachycardic, tachypnoeic and drowsy with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of 10/15. We noted axillary acanthosis nigricans and obesity (BMI 33.2 kg/m²). Dipstick urinalysis showed ketonuria and glycosuria. Blood results were consistent with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), with hyperosmolar state. We initiated our DKA protocol, with intravenous insulin, fluids and potassium, and we discontinued risperidone. His obesity, family history of T2DM, acanthosis nigricans and hyperosmolar state prompted consideration of T2DM presenting with ‘ketosis-prone diabetes’ (KPD) rather than T1DM. Antibody markers of beta-cell autoimmunity were subsequently negative. Four weeks later, he had modified his diet and lost weight, and his metabolic parameters had normalised. We reduced his total daily insulin dose from 35 to 18 units and introduced metformin. We stopped insulin completely by week 7. At 6 months, his glucometer readings and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) level had normalised.