This patient with long-standing insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus has difficulty in closing his hand because the skin is "very tight."
This patient with long-standing insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus has difficulty in closing his hand because the skin is very tight.
The patient's diabetic state is the cause of the tight skin. This finding occurs more often in persons with microvascular complications, such as retinopathy and nephropathy. The condition may occur even in patients with well-controlled disease; physical therapy may be helpful.