BACKGROUND Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major cause of avoidable blindness in the developing and the developed countries. Diabetic patients have 25 times more chance of becoming blind than the non-diabetics.1 According to the WHO, the number of people in India affected with Diabetes Mellitus in the year 2000 was 31.7 million which is estimated to rise to 79.4 million by 2030, which would be higher than any other country in the world. 75 percent of all Type 2 diabetics and almost all Type 1 diabetics are expected to develop diabetic retinopathy (DR) over a period of time.2 Diabetic dermopathy or shin spots are the commonest dermatological manifestation in patients with Diabetes Mellitus. It is also known as pigmented pretibial patches, spotted leg syndrome or diabetic dermangiopathy.3 Both diabetic retinopathy and dermopathy are manifestations of diabetic microangiopathy. We wanted to study the association between diabetic retinopathy and diabetic dermopathy. METHODS 182 patients (between 40 - 70 years of age) having diabetes mellitus for at least five years were included in the study and were examined for retinal changes and skin changes. The study period was six months. RESULTS Of the 182 diabetic patients included in this study, 106 (58.2 %) had diabetic retinopathy. Shin spots were seen in 158 cases (86.8 %). 100 (94.3 %) cases with diabetic retinopathy had shin spots. The mean duration of diabetes mellitus in patients with diabetic retinopathy was 11.85 years and it was 8.16 years in those without diabetic retinopathy. The mean duration of diabetes mellitus in patients with shin spots was 14.88 years and it was 10.70 years in those without shin spots. CONCLUSIONS There is significant association between diabetic retinopathy and diabetic dermopathy. KEYWORDS Diabetic Retinopathy, Shin Spots, Diabetic Dermopathy

A 38-year-old male, working as a supermarket manager, developed multiple painful nodules on the face and arms associated with generalised weakness of 2 months duration. His medical history was otherwise uneventful. There was no previous history of any trauma or medication. He was investigated in a nearby hospital and was treated as cutaneous vasculitis with systemic corticosteroids. But there was no improvement in the symptoms. Few weeks later, he developed similar new lesions on the chest and abdomen. Few lesions evolved to form an abscess, along with which he developed regional lymphadenopathy and fever. He consulted a different doctor and there he was diagnosed to have Cutaneous Tuberculosis and was started with Anti-Tuberculosis Therapy (ATT). Since there was no much improvement after 3 months of starting ATT, he was referred to our medical college. On presentation, general examination revealed multiple tender, discrete lymph nodes of about 2 x 1 cm size in the axilla, neck and groin.