Skin Thickness in Endocrine Disease

Abstract

A simple, painless, inexpensive radlologlc technlc has been described enabling precise measurement of skin thickness. A normal range of skin thickness for the age group of 20 to 65 has been established at 1.00 to 1.70 mm. for females and 1.10 to 1.80 mm for males. In 21 acromegalic patients, a significant increase in skin thickness has been shown with a mean value of 2.18 mm. In 19 of these cases, the increased skin thickness values were distinctly above the normal range. In contrast, 8 patients suffering from Cushing''s syndrome had a significant decrease in skin thickness with a mean value of 0.91 mm and all but 1 of these falling below the normal range. Similar changes were observed in patients receiving adrenal steroid therapy. The technic proved to be most useful diagnostic ally in these disorders. Patients suffering from hyperthyroidism and hypothyroldlsm had skin thickness values within the normal range. A group of 26 undernourished subjects had a decreased mean skin thickness value.