Acne in adult women and the markers of peripheral 3 alpha-diol G activity.
BACKGROUND
Acne in adult women is a frequent hard-to-manage disease with many relapse cases. It mostly interferes with the quality of life of patients, bringing them major metabolic and social losses. As androgenic hormones play a very important role in the acne pathogenesis, the early diagnosis of hyperandrogenic states is very useful for the proper evaluation of each patient and for a better choice of therapeutic management. Defining a pattern for laboratory profile analysis is important for the control of relapses of acne breakouts in adult women, which lately has been the aim of many published studies.


OBJECTIVE
To establish the relation between 3 alpha-diol G levels and acne in female patients with normal androgenic status without menstrual dysfunctions.


METHODS
The evaluation of serum 3 alpha-androstanediol glucuronide levels through an enzymatic immunoassay method (Androstanediol Glucuronide ELISA Kit) for a direct quantitative measurement in 26 patients with grade II and III acne, ages ranging from 13 to 50.


RESULTS
Among the analyzed patients, 83% had grade II acne, and among this total, 60% were aged 14 or over. According to age, 12 studied patients showed serum 3 alpha-diol G levels within normal range and 11 patients had increased levels.


CONCLUSIONS
A total of 60% of adult women with acne present increased levels of androgens and among those with normal levels and without menstrual dysfunctions, 50% show an increase in 3 alpha-diol G. Therefore, a pharmacological approach with anti-androgenic drugs for acne therapy in most of these patients is advisable.
Disciplina de Dermatologia, FMABC, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
Marisa G
MG
Cunha
Disciplina de Dermatologia, FMABC, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
Carolina P
CP
Martins
Disciplina de Dermatologia, FMABC, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
Carlos D'Aparecida
CD
M Filho
Laboratório de Análises Clínicas, FMABC, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
Beatriz C A
BC
Alves
Laboratório de Análises Clínicas, FMABC, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
Fernando
F
Adami
Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas, UNIFESP, Diadema, SP, Brazil.
Ligia A
LA
Azzalis
Laboratório de Análises Clínicas, FMABC, Santo André, SP, Brazil.|Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas, UNIFESP, Diadema, SP, Brazil.
Fernando L A
FL
Fonseca
D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000201:enzymology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015113:Androstane-3,17-diol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D042944:Cholestenone 5 alpha-Reductase / Q000378:metabolism; D006628:Hirsutism / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011627:Puberty / Q000097:blood; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D015113:Androstane-3,17-diol; C028895:androstane-3,17-diol glucuronide; D042944:Cholestenone 5 alpha-Reductase
3 alpha-diol G levels; acne; adult