What diabetes associated complications can lead to symptoms that may mimic features of systemic sclerosis?
• Diabetic stiff hand syndrome may result in flexion contracture of the fingers and indurated, thickened skin at the digits.
• Limited joint mobility (frozen shoulder, flexor tenosynovitis, Dupuytren’s contractures) and distal neuropathy may be confused with the tendon contractures and Raynaud’s phenomenon seen in SSc.
• Scleredema diabeticorum occurs primarily in patients with type 2 diabetes and is characterized by thickened, edematous areas of skin most commonly on the upper back and neck. This has also been called scleredema adultorum of Buschke, type 3.
