Diabetes Mellitus is one of the most commonly encountered diseases today in the modern world. Gone are the days where it was considered the disease of the affluent. All thanks to the fast food culture. In our Country millions are diagnosed and yet the diagnosed patients only form the tip of the iceberg. This disease not only causes the problems to an individual but

also is a burden to the community and the nation adding load to the already burdened healthcare in our country. The financial loss and the economic impact on the community are huge. Plenty of methods are there to diagnose the disease but it’s not at the grass root level. By the time the patients are diagnosed, many will show signs sort of complications that have already started. Is there a very useful basic way to screen diabetes? This study puts on an effort to find the answer.

Aims and Objectives:

To determine whether there is a difference of growth rates in the nails between the diabetics and the non-diabetics.

Materials and Methods:

This study was started in 2018 in Kanachur Institute of Medical Sciences and ended in JNUIMSRC, Jaipur in August 2021. Total of 314 patients and an equal number of controls were studied and have been reported. This study is a cross sectional study.  Two hundred twenty four patients and controls were studied in Kanachur Institute of Medical Sciences, Mangalore and the rest were from JNUIMSRC, Jaipur.

Results:

Significantly lower nail growth in group 2 (Control group) is seen. 

Conclusion:

This can be considered as a useful tool in the hands of paramedical workers especially in the underprivileged areas.

Keywords:  Nail growth, diabetes, rate, cases, controls