Background
Acne vulgaris (AV) is a persistent inflammatory skin condition most commonly
affecting teenagers and young adults. AV pathogenesis is a multifactorial process in
which inflammation plays a significant role. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)
is a neuropeptide that participates in inflammation and vasodilation. Emerging
evidence suggests that CGRP may contribute to the pathophysiology of
inflammatory skin conditions such as AV.
Objective
This study assesses CGRP serum levels in patients with AV and analyses its
possible influence on acne severity.
Patients and methods
With the exclusion of patients receiving neurotropic drugs within the past year,
patients who were undergoing any form of systemic medical treatment for acne for a
minimum of 3 months before the beginning of the study, a case-control study was
carried out, including 40 patients with AV and 40 apparently healthy controls
matched by age and sex. Serum CGRP levels were estimated using enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and correlated with acne severity based on
standardized clinical grading.
Results
Patients with AV exhibited significantly higher serum CGRP levels than controls
(P |
