Low serum insulin values in children with multiple lesions of granuloma annulare: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between granuloma annularae (GA) and diabetes mellitus (DM) is controversial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between multiple lesions of GA and carbohydrate metabolism in children.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Fifteen children (seven boys, eight girls, mean age 4.8 years) with five or more lesions of GA were evaluated. A personal and family history of DM or other autoimmune diseases was obtained and the glycaemic and insulin response during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was determined. Thirteen children with a negative personal and family history of DM served as controls for the OGTT and 100 other children as 'clinical controls'.

RESULTS: At the 30-min sampling of the OGTT the mean insulin values were comparable in GA children and controls (P=0.1), while the mean glucose values were significantly higher in GA children than in controls (P=0.005). All other insulin values during the OGTT were significantly lower in GA children than in controls, while all other glucose values were comparable in GA children and controls with all indices applied. Eleven out of 15 GA children had a positive family history of DM (73.3% vs. 16% of the clinical controls; P<0.0001).

CONCLUSION: Multiple lesions of GA in children are associated with significantly lower serum insulin values than in controls and mildly impaired glucose tolerance.