Association of Serum Zinc Levels with Acne Vulgaris: A Case-Control Study

Abstract

Acne is an inflammatory skin disease that affects the hair follicles and sebaceous glands. The disease is multifactorial and the diagnosis is based on laboratory tests. Zinc is an element that is involved in many processes in our bodies. Objectives: To identify the relationship between serum zinc levels in both groups and whether zinc levels are associated with the severity of the disease and other related health outcomes in these patients. Method: This case-control study was carried out on 100 patients of Acne vulgaris in Dermatology ward 4, Outpatient department, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, Karachi. Patients of age between 11-35 years, with untreated acne vulgaris with mild, moderate, or severe condition. Intravenous blood samples up to 3 mL were taken from both selected cases and controls in yellow top tubes. The collected blood was centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 10 minutes, and the serum was collected and stored at −40°C until further processing. Results: A significant correlation was observed between the case and control groups for moderate hair fall (p-value 0.045) and severe hair fall (p-value = 0.013) among participants and serum zinc levels. Whereas no significant difference was observed in the minor and unknown status of hair fall groups (p-value >0.05). Conclusion: The findings suggest of this study that zinc has a potent role not only in the management of acne but is also related to other factors such as hair fall, diarrhea, and vision