Acanthosis nigricans and skin tags: Correlation with insulin resistance and overweight in Mexican children. Skin and insulin resistance in children

Background: Childhood overweight and obesity are a notorious health problem around the world that may lead to an increase in insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Acanthosis nigricans (AC) and skin tags (ST) are skin markers that can help to obtain an early diagnose of these metabolic disorders. Objective: To determine whether such skin markers (ST and AN), correlate with insulin resistance based on the assessment of the homeostasis model of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and also with overweight and obesity. Methods: Weight, height and body mass index were obtained and accordingly to CDC based on percentiles, and classification was made as follows: underweight, healthy weight, overweight and obesity. Beside insulin, glucose, and HOMA-IR were assessed. Results: We included 186 patients age range 6-14 yr, 89 female, 97 male, 10 with underweight, 148 healthy weight, 18 overweight, 10 obese; 18 children presented ST and 29 AN. We found a relationship between the presence of ST and AN with higher BMI and insulin resistance. Conclusions: The presence of skin tags and Acanthosis nigricans correlates with the presence of insulin resistance in children even in healthy weight patients and higher BMI.