[Serum zinc levels in patients with acne vulgaris]

Acne vulgaris is the most common disorder of pilosebaceous units which can develop serious psychological disabilities. It is clear that nutritional minerals [such as zinc] can intricately be involved in pathogenesis of inflammatory disorders such as acne vulgaris. This study was conducted to measure the serum zinc level in patients with acne vulgaris and compare it with healthy controls. We studied 30 patients with acne whom were matched in their age, sex and place of residence with healthy controls. Their serum zinc levels were measured using atomic absorption spectrophotometric method. Mean serum level of zinc in acne patients and controls were 92.42 +/- 37.6 micro g/dl and 101.3 +/- 43.41 micro g/dl, respectively. Although, the mean serum zinc level was lower in acne group, it was not statistically significant [P=0.32]. It seems that relative decrease of serum zinc level in acne patients can further highlight the role of this trace element in the pathogenesis of acne vulgaris