Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the world’s most important health problems, affecting more than half a billion of the world’s population today, with an ever-increasing prevalence. Among the most common manifestations of diabetes are skin manifestations, with 30–70% of patients experiencing skin complications during the course of the disease. Conditions such as acanthosis nigricans, diabetic dermopathy, necrobiosis lipoidica, bacterial infections, fungal infections, skin xerosis, and metabolic prurigo are often associated with diabetes and often precede its diagnosis. We conducted a retrospective study on a group of 103 patients hospitalized between January 2018 and December 2022, in a clinic of a county hospital, using as criteria the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus complicated by cutaneous manifestations frequently associated with diabetes. The aim was to observe which are the most common manifestations and whether they correlate with data in the research literature. In the present study, manifestations such as diabetic foot (20% of patients), bacterial (35%) and fungal infections, and cutaneous xerosis (45%) were predominant. Often, the integumentary involvement may precede the diagnosis of the underlying disease. It is therefore very important to recognize, investigate and treat these manifestations as soon as possible.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of cutaneous neoplasia in humans, and dermoscopy may provide valuable information for histopathological classification of BCC, which allows for the choice of non-invasive topical or surgical therapy. Similarly, dermoscopy may allow for the identification of incipient forms of BCC that cannot be detected in clinical examination. The importance of early diagnosis using the dermoscopy of superficial BCC forms is proven by the fact that despite their indolent clinical appearance, they can be included in high-risk BCC forms due to the rate of postoperative recurrence. Nodular pigmentary forms of BCCs present ovoid gray-blue nests or multiple gray-blue dots/globules associated with arborized vessels, sometimes undetectable on clinical examination. The management of BCC depends on this, as pigmentary forms have been shown to have a poor response to photodynamic therapy. High frequency ultrasound examination (HFUS) aids in the diagnosis of BCC with hypoechoic tumour masses, as well as in estimating tumour size (thickness and diameter), presurgical margin delineation, and surgical planning. The examination is also useful for determining the invasion of adjacent structures and for studying local recurrences. The use of dermoscopy in combination with HFUS allows for optimisation of the management of the oncological patient.

Infectious and inflammatory dermatoses featuring skin lesions with loss of tissue expose skin layers to microbial invasions, disrupt the normal skin microbiome, and potentially lead to sepsis. However, literature data on the incidence of cutaneous-onset sepsis are scarce. This retrospective observational study assessed hospital admissions for primary skin lesions without bacterial infections and sepsis during 2020–2022 in the largest emergency hospital in NE Romania. Of 509 patients, 441 had infected lesions, 78 had sepsis caused by venous ulcers from microbial eczema cellulitis, superinfected bullous dermatoses, erysipelas, and erythroderma. Cultured samples revealed S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and E. coli; and K. pneumoniae and S. β-hemolytic associated with sepsis, even if this was rarer. Clinical manifestations included ulcerations, erosions, fissures, excoriations, bullae, vesicles, pruritus, tumefaction, edema, fever, chills, pain, adenopathy, and mildly altered mental status. Underlying chronic heart failure, atrial fibrillation, anemia, and type-1 diabetes mellitus were comorbidities associated with infection and sepsis. Significant associations and risk factors, including their combined effects, are discussed to draw attention to the need for further research and adequate management to prevent sepsis in adult patients of any age presenting with infected skin lesions (especially cellulitis) and comorbidities (especially type 1 diabetes mellitus and anemia).

In dermatological practice, disturbances of the skin microbiome are found in various infectious and inflammatory dermatoses featuring one or more skin lesions with loss of tissue, directly exposing skin layers to microbial invasions. Literature data on the incidence of cutaneous-onset sepsis are, however, scarce. This retrospective observational study assessed hospital admissions for primary skin lesions with vs. without bacterial infections and sepsis during 2020-2022 in the largest emergency hospital in NE Romania. Of 509 patients 441 had infected lesions, 78 had sepsis caused by venous ulcers microbial eczema cellulitis, superinfected bullous dermatoses, erysipelas, erythroderma. Cultured samples revealed S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, E. coli, with K. pneumoniae, S. β-hemolytic associated with sepsis even if rarer. Clinical manifestations included ulcerations, erosions, fissures, excoriations, bullae, vesicles, pruritus, tumefaction, edema, fever, chills, pain, adenopathy, mildly altered mental status. Underlying chronic heart failure, atrial fibrillation, anemia, type-1 diabetes mellitus were comorbidities associated with infection and sepsis. Significant associations and risk factors, including their combined effects, are discussed to draw attention to the need for further research and adequate management to prevent sepsis in adult patients of any age presenting with infected skin lesions (especially cellulitis) and comorbidities (especially type 1 diabetes mellitus and anemia).

Molluscum contagiosum of the scalp – a pediatric case report