Correlation between serum lipid profile and acne vulgaris severity

Abstract

Abstract Minimal reports are available on the relation between blood lipids and acne vulgaris (AV). Sebaceous glands are the key roles in AV pathogenesis, while the sebum lipids in sebaceous glands are one of the main factors for AV development. Recently, any changes in the proportions of blood lipoprotein are known to be related to AV incidence. The study was conducted to determine the correlation between serum lipid profile and AV severity. Sixty-two study participants, who met the inclusion criteria based on the consecutive sampling method, were enrolled in the study. The levels of lipid profile were measured and the AV severity was determined by Lehmann criteria. Results showed that the majority of participants had moderate AV (56.5%) and there was an increase in LDL-C levels (54.8%). There was a statistically significant correlation between TC levels and AV severity ( p = 0.001; r = 0.332) as well as a strong correlation between LDL-C levels and AV severity ( p = 0.000; r = 0.622). The study also found a tendency of HDL-C levels decrease, followed by increased AV severity, and vice versa ( p = 0.041; r = −0.229). The study suggested that there was a significant correlation between serum lipid profile and AV severity.