Studing the impact of COVID-19 on the progression of metabolic, neuroendocrine disorders and some immunological changes in women with acne

Acne is a multifactorial chronic inflammatory disease with primary damage to the pilosebaceous unit and the polymorphic clinical manifestations associated with overproduction of sebaceous glands, pathological desquamation of the sebaceous epithelium of the sebum follicles, activation of saprophytic, conditionally pathogenic microorganisms, and psychoemotional disorders. This is undoubtedly one of the most common dermatoses in clinical practice, accounting for 20—25 % of dermatology consultations. Today, especially in wartime, acne vulgaris remains a socially important problem in approximately half of patients with psychoemotional disorders, mainly of a depressive and anxiety associated nature with a sharp decrease in the quality of life of patients. Objective — to study a pathogenic role of certain neuroendocrine, metabolic and immunological disorders as well their consequences in the development of acne in women who had COVID-19. Materials and methods. 134 women with acne, aged 18 to 45 years old, were examined. The levels of cortisol and prolactin, C-reactive protein(C-RP), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoproteins (HDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), triglycerides (TG), concentration of cytokines, atherogenic index (AI), index HOMA (insulin resistance index) and anxiety were determined. Results and discussion. Most of the examined patients with acne have shown varying degrees of changes in some neuroendocrine and metabolic indices. The total cholesterol level in patients with acne was higher by 27.78 % (p < 0.001), and in patients with acne associated with COVID-19 by 45.37 % (p < 0.001), compared with the control group. The HDL level was lower by 27.91 and 39.53 % (p < 0.001), respectively, compared with the control group, LDL was higher by 34.35 and 58.78 % (p < 0.001), respectively, and the TG level was twice as high (p < 0.001), as the control group level in both groups of women with acne. At the same time, an increase in the atherogenic index by 28.09 % (p < 0.01) and 37.02 % (p < 0.001) respectively, was also observed compared with the control group level, but without significant changes between the levels of both groups of women with acne. An increased level of pro-inflammatory cytokines, have been observed in patients of both groups, with insufficient synthesis of anti-inflammatory interleukins in all examined women with acne, at that, more significant abnormalities in the examined immune indices have been observed in patients who have had COVID-19. Conclusions. High level of anxiety, the changes in cytokine profile, neuroendocrine and metabolic indices (C-RP, TC, HDL, LDL, TG, AI), have been observed in women with acne. At that, more significant abnormalities in the examined indices have been found in patients who have had COVID-19 that substantiates the necessity to develop new comprehensive methods of treatment, taking into account the impact of neuroendocrine and metabolic disorders and immunological changes associated with COVID-19.