Abstract

Background: Skin tags (ST) are the most common benign skin lesions. In obesity, production of inflammatory cytokines by visceral adipose tissue (VAT) macrophages increases significantly. This situation creates a general subclinical inflammatory state that will ultimately lead to altered insulin responsiveness. The aim of the study is to investigate the possible involvement of leptin and some inflammatory markers in the development of skin tags.

Patients and Methods: Twenty obese patients seeking advice for their STs, and 10 healthy volunteers serving as controls. Venous blood samples were collected after overnight fast. Laboratory measurements included determination of fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycated hemoglobin, insulin, leptin, high sensitive c-reactive protein (hs-CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), cholesterol, and triglycerides (TG). Homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated.

Results: ST patients were insulin-resistant with elevated HOMA-IR. They showed higher levels of plasma cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, hs-CRP and TNF- α than the control group. There was a positive correlation between leptin level and each of plasma TG, cholesterol, and insulin. Moreover, there was a positive correlation between the number of ST and each of hs-CRP, TNF- α, leptin and HOMA-IR.

Conclusion: The subclinical higher levels of leptin, hs-CRP and TNF-α in ST patients may be implicated in the development of skin tags. Association between skin tags and insulin resistance is already known, however this article showed that leptin, hs-CRP and TNF-α in ST patients may be implicated in the development of skin tags.

Keywords: Skin tags, leptin, insulin resistance, hs-CRP, TNF- α