title: Actinic damage on the back is significantly determined by MC1R variants and previous sun exposure compared with other body sites in a multivariate analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Only recently, site-dependent associations of actinic damage with melanoma were identified in our study population.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To elucidate the diverse aetiologies for actinic damage at different body sites.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed multivariate logistic regression analyses to identify independent risk factors for actinic damage on the face, hands and the back in 2112 participants of central European origin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For actinic damage on the face, age was the only risk factor that remained consistently significant in a multivariate analysis, whereas actinic damage on the back was predominantly associated with number of sunburns, freckles in childhood, holiday weeks and male sex. Moreover, we identified a particular significance of MC1R variants and dorsal actinic skin damage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The particular effect of MC1R variants and sun exposure during recreational time on dorsal actinic damage indicates that actinic damage on the back is more informative regarding susceptibility to sunlight and past sun exposure associated with melanoma risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Division of General Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wendt
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rauscher
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Burgstaller-Mühlbacher
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Roka
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fae
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pehamberger
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Okamoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001415:Back; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005148:Facial Dermatoses / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010787:Photosensitivity Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D044102:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013472:Sunlight / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D044102:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 1