Background: Acne vulgaris (AV) is an inflammatory disease of pilosebaceous follicles. It has multifactorial causes and is manifested as blackheads, papules, pustules, nodules, as well as cysts. The significantly greater serum hepcidin values among acne cases that do not develop post-acne scarring support its antifibrotic activities that were clarified by its capability of impeding transforming growth factor β1(TGF β1) induced Smad3 phosphorylation.
Objective: The aim of the current work was to assess hepcidin gene polymorphism and plasma hepcidin level in acne vulgaris cases of varying severity with and without post-acne scaring.
Patients and Methods: This case-control study included a total of 30 cases with AV with no post-acne scars, 30 cases with AV and post acne scar and 30 subjects of age and gender matched healthy controls, attending at Outpatient Clinic of Dermatology, Department of Andrology and STD, Mansoura University Hospitals, Delta, Egypt.
Results: The distribution of acne severity in acne patients (group A) was graded according to GAGS grading system. Mild acne severity was the commonest form of acne (56.7%), followed by moderate acne severity (30%), severe acne (6.7%) and very severe acne (6.7%). After applying Goodman grading system on the group of patients with post- acne scars (group B), moderate affection was the most common form (43.4%).
Conclusion: This study concluded that no significant association was found in hepcidin level between both case groups versus control group and scarred versus non scarred case groups. No significant association was found regarding HAMP genotypes and alleles with acne occurrence nor scar formation.