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Common skin conditions
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The seemingly diverse conditions illustrated in this month’s quiz are cutaneous signs of metabolic syndrome.
Metabolic syndrome refers to the combination of abdominal obesity, hypertension, dyslipidaemia and insulin resistance.
For each of the twelve cases, study the image(s) and then answer the questions. You can click on the image to view a larger version if required.
Each case should take approximately 2 minutes to complete. There is a list of suggested further reading material at the end of the quiz.
Name the skin condition(s).
Cracked heels
What is the cause?
Cracked heels are common and may be very painful. They arise because the stratum corneum is thickened and dry. This may arise because of a skin condition such as psoriasis or eczema, systemic disease such as diabetes or hypothyroidism, or from prolonged standing on hard floors. They are more common in obese patients.