Assessment of dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate and total serum testosterone in Iraqi women with post-adolescent acne

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-S) and total serum testosterone (TST) in women with post-adolescent acne and their relationship to severity of acne and clinical markers of androgenicity.

Methods: Two hundred forty women with post-adolescent acne (PAA), 132 women with late- onset acne (LOA) and 108 women with persistent acne (PA) were recruited in this cross-sectional study. All patients were examined clinically and by ultrasound for evidence of polycystic ovaries (PCO), and serum DHEA-S and TST levels were measured.

Results: The results showed that there was an excess in androgens (DHEA-S) and TST levels. Serum androgens level were significantly correlated to the severity of PAA. In addition, clinical markers of androgenicity were frequently observed in women with PAA.

Conclusion: There is an increased level of circulating androgens in significant proportion of women with PAA and it seems that hyperandrogenism appears to play an important role in the etiopathogenesis of acne. In addition, there was a direct correlation between severity of acne and androgen levels suggesting that both ovarian and adrenal abnormalities are common at this patients group. J Clin Exp Invest 2015; 6 (2): 121-125

Key words: Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, total serum testosterone, post-adolescent acne

Keywords

• Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, total serum testosterone, post-adolescent acne

Correspondence: Samer A. Dhaher

Öz

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı adolesan sonrası akne’li kadınlarda dehidroepiandrosteron sulfat (DHEA-S) ve total serum testosteronun (TST) ve bunların akne şiddeti ve androjenikliğin klinik belirteçleri ile ilişkisini değerlendirmektir. Yöntemler: Adolesan sonrası akne’li 240 kadın, 132 tanesi geç başlangıçlı akne ve 108 tanesi sürekli akneli kadın kesitsel çalışmaya alındı. Hastaların tümü klinik olarak ve polikistik over yönünden ultrasonografi ile değerlendirildi ve serum DHEA-S ve TST düzeyleri ölçüldü.Bulgular: Veriler DHEA-S ve TST düzeylerinde fazlalık olduğunu gösterdi. Serum androjen düzeyi akne şiddeti ile anlamlı korelasyon gösterdi. Ayrıca adolesan sonrası akne’li kadınlarda androjenikliğin klinik belirtileri sıklıkla gözlendi.Sonuç: Adolesan sonrası önemli sayıdaki akne’li kadında artmış dolaşan androjen düzeyleri ve öyle görünüyor ki bu akne etyopatogenezinde önemli bir rol oynuyor. Ayrıca akne şiddeti ile androjen düzeyleri arasında doğrudan bir ilişki olması, bu hasta grubunda hem over hem de adrenal anormalliklerin yaygın olduğunu telkin etmektedir

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Dehidroepiandrosteron sülfat, total serum testosteron, adolesan sonrası akne

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