DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2019.v07i03.091

Pages: 1312-1314

Onychomycosis has a high prevalance among immunocompromised patients such as diabetics and hemodialysis patients. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of onychomycosis among hemodialysis patients with and without diabetes mellitus, and to find out the factors likely to be associated with the development of onychomycosis among hemodialysis patients. One hundred hemodialysis patients were enrolled. Nail scrapings were obtained from 76 patients who had dystrophic nail changes. Samples were examined with 30% potassium hydroxide solution and all of the samples were inoculated on Saboraud's dextrose agar, potateus dextrose agar and mycobiotic agar. Diagnosis of onychomycosis was based on the presence of both positive clinical signs and positive potassium hydroxide test. Onychomycosis was diagnosed in 54% of hemodialysis patients. Diabetes mellitus was present in 36% of patients with onychomycosis. Toenail scraping cultures were reported to be positive in 24% of patients with dystrophic nail changes. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the presence of diabetes mellitus and the mean duration of hemodialysis were the significant predictors associated with the development of onychomycosis. The prevalence of dystrophic nail changes and onychomycosis is increased among hemodialysis patients. The dialysis duration and the presence of diabetes mellitus are the independent risk factors associated with the development of onychomycosis in uraemic patients.