Acne and Acanthosis

In Native American children, acanthosis nigricans was a specific but not a sensitive marker for insulin resistance.

Acanthosis nigricans (AN) is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes at puberty and thereafter in overweight youth. Native American tribes use AN to measure risk for diabetes in school children. Investigators conducted a prospective, community-based study to determine whether at-risk children were being missed with this strategy.

Of 161 Native American youths aged 5 to 18 years, 22% had AN. AN prevalence rose with age, from 15% in youths aged 5 to 11 years to 31% in those aged 12 to 18 years. Compared with children without AN, the affected children had higher mean fasting insulin levels and higher mean insulin resistance values (fasting glucose [mmol/L] × fasting insulin [μU/mL] / 22.5 >4). Although 82% of those with AN had insulin resistance, onl…

Reviewing Author

Mark V. Dahl, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory board Ulthera, Inc.; AuBio LifeSciences, LLC; Paris Therapeutics

Equity Elorac, Inc.; Makucell, Inc.; Paris Therapeutics

Editorial boards UpToDate

Leadership positions in professional societiesNational Rosacea Society (Chairman, Medical Board)