Evaluation of Psychiatric Comorbidities and Quality of Life As Well As Brain‐Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) Concentrations Among Patients Suffering From Acne Vulgaris: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Acne vulgaris usually affects the dermal layer of the skin and is revealed frequently in young adulthood and adolescence. It has serious psychosocial comorbidities. We conducted the present systematic review and meta-analysis to elucidate the association of acne vulgaris with psychiatric comorbidities and quality of life as well as the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) level. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the published articles were carried out following the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. We investigated diverse databases: Web of Science, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, PsycINFO, and CINAHL to search for articles reporting the prevalence of psychosocial comorbidities among patients with acne vulgaris from database inception through June 2022. The outcomes were depression, anxiety, symptom checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R), quality of life, self-esteem, stress, loneliness, and BDNF concentrations. Of 3647 articles identified, 23 met the inclusion criteria. Patients with acne vulgaris have a significantly higher level of anxiety, depression, and stress (P<0.05). Yet, the reported findings of the SCL-90-R, self-esteem, loneliness, and BDNF scores among patients suffering from acne vulgaris were variable and did not differ significantly compared to healthy participants (P>0.05), hampering any conclusive findings on absolute prevalence. Subgroup analysis and comparison showed that heterogeneity between studies was likely due to factors, including country, study design, and assessment tools. This comprehensive review and meta-analysis revealed that anxiety, depression, and stress are significantly more frequent among patients suffering from acne vulgaris. These findings confirm that acne vulgaris has both psychiatric and medical characteristics and requires a multidisciplinary approach.

Is acne vulgaris exacerbated during the military conflict in Ukraine? A self-reported cross-sectional prospective study

“…The face is treated as a predisposing location for acne; however the back and upper part of the chest are also commonly involved [1,2]. Many studies demonstrated that acne predisposes to secondary psychiatric disturbances, like depression and anxiety [4,12]. Also, patients with acne are at increased risk for suicidal thoughts and attempts [13].…”

The quality of life of men experiencing infertility: a systematic review

“…In Almutawa et al 's systematic review and meta-analysis 2023, it has been shown that the psychological disturbances in infertile women are higher than in men, and this difference in couples needs further investigation [14]. Chachavomich et al 2010 showed that women's quality of life is more affected by infertility than men study, which was a systematic review [12], .…”

Efficacy and Safety of Micronized Isotretinoin Administered Once Daily Without Food in Patients With Recalcitrant Nodular Acne

“…A cne vulgaris (AV) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that affects a majority of adolescents and young adults 1,2 and is associated with many adverse physical and psychological effects on quality of life. 1,3 Oral isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid) can induce complete or nearcomplete resolution of AV in most patients, with prolonged clearance after completion of therapy; it is considered to be the most effective treatment for severe nodular AV and is the only therapy shown to consistently provide long-term AV clearance after completion of a recommended course of therapy. 1,4 Due to its poor aqueous solubility, isotretinoin has historically required ingestion with food-specifically a high-fat meal with each dose-to ensure optimal absorption and consistent plasma concentrations of isotretinoin.…”