Analysis of correlation between insulin resistance and severity of acne vulgaris

Abstract

Blood glucose levels in the disease activate the free IGF-1 which promotes lipogenesis of sebaceous glands thus leading to acne formation. The study was aimed to analyze the correlation between insulin resistance and the severity of acne vulgaris. A total of 100 patients clinically diagnosed with acne vulgaris were enrolled in the study. The severity of the acne was evaluated using the GAGS system. The HOMA-IR index was used for the analysis of insulin resistance. The mean age of the patients was 22.13 years with a predominance of females i.e., 76%. GAGS score revealed 89% of patients had mild acne, 9% of patients had moderate acne and 2% of patients had severe acne. As per the HOMA-IR index cutoff value of 2.5, 35% of patients in our study had insulin resistance. A significant positive correlation was observed between the acne vulgaris and insulin resistance. Early treatment of insulin resistance can help evaluate a patient’s metabolic aspects that should be helpful in the diagnosis and treatment of various other skin conditions associated with it apart from acne vulgaris such as acanthosis nigricans, acrochordons, etc., and improving the health and the quality of care for these patients.