Quiz
Cutaneous signs of metabolic syndrome – 12 cases

The seemingly diverse conditions illustrated in this month’s quiz are cutaneous signs of metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome refers to the combination of abdominal obesity, hypertension, dyslipidaemia and insulin resistance.

For each of the twelve cases, study the image(s) and then answer the questions. You can click on the image to view a larger version if required.

Each case should take approximately 2 minutes to complete. There is a list of suggested further reading material at the end of the quiz.

Case 8

Name the skin condition(s).

Acanthosis nigricans and skin tags

What is the cause?

Acanthosis nigricans is often thought of as a sign of malignancy, but is also a classical feature of metabolic syndrome. It presents as velvety thickened darkened plaques. These are most obvious in the neck and axillary folds and are frequently accompanied by skin tags. Acanthosis nigricans and skin tags are due to circulating growth factors associated with insulin resistance.

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