Comparative study of skin sebum and elasticity level in patients with sulfur mustard-induced dermatitis and healthy controls.
BACKGROUND
Sulfur mustard (SM) - a chemical agent - has both acute and chronic effects on skin. Xerosis, which is deemed to be due to the damage of hydrolipidic barrier of the skin, is the most common complaint of veterans exposed to the chemical. This study was designed to evaluate skin sebum and elasticity in veterans with a history of SM contact.


METHODS
Three hundred and ten subjects were enrolled in this study and were divided into four groups: SM-exposed patients with current skin lesions (n=87); SM-exposed patients without skin lesions (n=71); patients with dermatitis (n=78); and normal controls (n=74). The skin sebum and elasticity were measured in four areas (forehead, suprasternal, palm and back of the hands) using a Sebumeter and a Reviscometer.


RESULTS
Skin sebum was higher in participants who presented with dermatitis and had history of contact with SM than others; the difference was only statistically significant on the forehead. There was no significant difference in the skin elasticity between the four groups.


CONCLUSIONS
While SM may increase skin sebum in long term, there is no evidence that it has a substantial effect on skin elasticity.
Davoudi
Seyyed Masoud
SM
Research Center of Chemical Injuries, Baghiat-Allah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Sadr
Bardia
B
Hayatbakhsh
Mohammad R
MR
Keshavarz
Saeed
S
Shohrati
Majid
M
Naghizadeh
Mohammad Mehdi
MM
Babakoohi
Shahab
S
Rashighi-Firouzabadi
Mehdi
M
Firooz
Alireza
A
D000328:Adult; D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D004548:Elasticity / Q000187:drug effects*; D005546:Forehead; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007057:Ichthyosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009151:Mustard Gas / Q000633:toxicity*; D012629:Sebum / Q000378:metabolism*; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013909:Thorax; D013997:Time Factors; D014857:Warfare
D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents; D009151:Mustard Gas