The under-explored side of diabetes mellitus: Rheumatic manifestation

Immune-mediated musculoskeletal (MSK) manifestation is one of the most prevalent phenotypes of rheumatic disorders. Diabetes Mellitus (DM), the modern epidemic, acts as a great mimicker of rheumatic diseases in terms of MSK involvement. Numerous attempts have been made in various strands of scientific research to identify the level of association of these disorders with DM but unfortunately, the results are not uniform. In daily clinical practice, it is sometimes difficult to differentiate diabetes-related joint and muscle problems from pure rheumatic disorders without proper background knowledge. Rheumatic manifestations often amplify the magnitude of diabetes-related morbidities. In the modern era, treating the primary disease is often not sufficient; we need to go further ahead to tackle its long-term complications also to mitigate the suffering of patients. The identification and management of diabetes-related rheumatic problems in the ocean of rheumatology needs sufficient evidence-based knowledge, expertise, as well as clinical experience. In our article, we intend to discuss various MSK problems related to diabetes, their pathogenesis, clinical features, important clues for diagnosis, and overall management strategies.