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Adult acne likely related to stress, thyroid malfunction rather than hormonal abnormalities
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VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Researchers evaluated the role of thyroid function along with the role of hypothalamus-pituitary adrenal axis in young women with acne and found that sex hormones were likely not related to the condition.
The researchers measured thyroid hormones and antibodies and performed a thyroid ultrasound in 60 healthy controls and 107 adult women with acne.
Sex hormones were measured between the third and fifth day of menstrual cycle and an ovarian ultrasound was done. Levels of glucose, insulin, cortisol and ACTH were measured.
Adult women with acne had increased relative risk of high anti-TG levels compared with healthy controls. Women with positive anti-TG antibodies also had elevated CRP.
CRP was elevated in acne patients who had positive anti-TG antibodies.
There was no difference in sex hormones between patients with acne or controls.
Higher levels of cortisol were observed in the acne patients. Stress seems to play a role in acne, according to researchers.
Researchers attributed the statistically significant increased levels of anti-TG and CRP between the acne and control group to the role of specific cytokines (IL-1a).
They concluded that acne in adults is more likely related to stress and thyroid malfunction than hormonal abnormalities related to ovarian function.
Reference :
Vergou T, et al. Study of the thyroid function and the hypothalamus-pituitary adrenal axis in young women with acne. What is the role of sex hormones? Presented at: 23rd World Congress of Dermatology; June 8-13, 2015; Vancouver, British Columbia.