Acanthosis nigricans associated with insulin resistance : pathophysiology and management.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review and expert mechanism-based reasoning without systematic methodology
PubMed 15186199 · doi:10.2165/00128071-200405030-00008
What was done
Narrative review examining the pathophysiology, endocrine mechanisms, and treatment strategies for acanthosis nigricans associated with obesity and insulin resistance in adolescents and young adults.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical data or statistical measures. It describes hyperinsulinemia and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) receptor stimulation on keratinocytes as key drivers of epidermal hyperplasia. It notes that weight management to reduce insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia, along with treatments such as metformin, octreotide, retinoids, and topical colecalciferol analogs, aids in clearing lesions.
Why it matters
It highlights that acanthosis nigricans in this population is a cutaneous marker of systemic insulin resistance, supporting metabolic management alongside dermatologic therapies.
Limits
The abstract describes a narrative review without primary data, systematic search methods, sample size details, or quantitative effect estimates.
Cited by
- supports Acanthosis nigricans and skin tags are strong clinical physical indicators of insulin resistance.