Metabolic Status, Obesity, and Quality of Life in Patients with Acne Vulgaris: A Cross-Sectional Case-Control Study

Indrashis Podder; Komal Agarwal; Anubhav Anurag

doi:10.4103/ijd.IJD_321_20

Metabolic Status, Obesity, and Quality of Life in Patients with Acne Vulgaris: A Cross-Sectional Case-Control Study

Indian J Dermatol. 2021 Mar-Apr;66(2):223. doi: 10.4103/ijd.IJD_321_20.

Authors

Indrashis Podder¹, Komal Agarwal², Anubhav Anurag³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprosy, College of Medicine and Sagore Dutta Hospital, West Bengal, India.
² Department of Dermatology, Calcutta National Medical College, West Bengal, India.
³ Intern, College of Medicine and Sagore Dutta Hospital, West Bengal, India.

Abstract

Background: Acne vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory disease primarily affecting the adolescents, with a profound impact on their quality of life. There is conflicting data regarding its association with metabolic syndrome.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and obesity in patients with acne vulgaris, and determine its impact on the patient's quality of life.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, case-control study involving 50 patients with acne vulgaris (cases) and 50 age and sex-matched controls without acne. Acne vulgaris was graded according to clinical severity using the GAGS scale. NCEP-ATP III criteria and modified classification of body mass index (BMI) for Asian Indians were used to diagnose MetS and obesity, respectively, in both cases and controls. We used the DLQI questionnaire to evaluate its impact on the quality of life.

Results: Cases and controls were comparable with respect to parameters like age, BMI, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DSBP), and serum triglyceride while fasting blood sugar (FBS, case > control) and serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL, control > case) were significantly different (P < 0.05, independent t-test). Prevalence of MetS was higher in cases (32%) than controls (14%), though comparable (P = 0.06, Chi-square). Only SBP, FBS, and serum HDL showed a significant correlation with the severity of acne. Obesity was comparable between cases (18%) and controls (10%), without any relation to acne severity. Acne exerted a moderate impact on the quality of life (mean DLQI 9.3). Severe acne showed higher DLQI, although their correlation was not statistically significant (P = 0.8, ANOVA).

Conclusion: Although acne patients may develop MetS and obesity, there is a lack of significant association. Thus, we should examine all obese patients, irrespective of dermatological disorder, to rule out metabolic syndrome. Acne also affects the patient's quality of life, thus emphasizing the need for additional psychosocial counselling.

Keywords: Acne vulgaris; DLQI; metabolic syndrome; obesity.