Comparison between the diagnosis of acne vulgaris by teledermatology and face-to-face consultations

ABSTRACT

Background: Acne vulgaris is a common skin disorder in the pilosebaceous unit that is self-limited, especially in adolescents. Adam Malik Hospital in Medan reported the incidence of acne vulgaris to be 1.10%. Telemedicine has become popular in recent years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. SAF teledermatology using digital cameras has also increased patient service satisfaction, promising diagnostic reliability and clinical outcomes similar to face-to-face visits. This study aimed to compare teledermatology’s diagnostic test parameters and accuracy and face-to-face consultations in diagnosing acne vulgaris. Methods: This study was an observational analytic study with a cross-sectional design involving 110 suspected acne vulgaris. The characteristics of sex and age were recorded. The resident established the diagnosis of acne vulgaris directly and teledermatologically by the consultant based on photo documentation of 5 facial lesion areas, namely the forehead, chin, right cheek, left cheek, and the entire face, along with the photo with photos from the history submitted by the resident. Diagnostic tests were carried out, including sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, accuracy, and an agreement test. Results: Acne vulgaris was more common in women (76 patients, 69.1%) and patients aged 18-22 years (55 patients, 50%). Of 110 patients, 105 were diagnosed with acne vulgaris by face-to-face consultations and teledermatology. Teledermatology showed 100% sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy. The agreement test between teledermatology and face-to-face consultations was 1, indicating favorable agreement. Conclusion: There was no significant difference in the diagnosis of acne vulgaris through teledermatology and face-to-face consultations. © 2021, Sanglah General Hospital. All rights reserved.