Assessment of serum interleukin-19 in acne vulgaris patients of different clinical severities.

BACKGROUND

Acne vulgaris (AV) is a common chronic inflammatory disorder of the pilosebaceous unit among adolescents and young adults. Inflammation does have a central role in formation of both inflammatory and noninflammatory acne lesions with production of proinflammatory cytokines.

AIMS

To measure serum levels of interleukin 19 (IL-19) in acne vulgaris patients with different severities, and compare it with healthy controls, to evaluate its role in pathogenesis of acne vulgaris and correlate it with acne severity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study included 120 subjects, aged 18-30 years, divided into four groups, 30 in each; mild, moderate, and severe AV patients groups according to acne severity as well as apparently healthy controls group of matched age and sex with no previous history of acne or active acne. Each patient was subjected to history taking, general and dermatological examination with assessment of acne severity. Serum IL-19 levels of both patients and controls were also measured using quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS

Results revealed significant difference in serum IL-19 levels between acne patients and controls, being higher in the former group (P value is < 0.001). Moreover, the rise in serum IL-19 levels was significantly proportional to the increased acne severity (P value < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

IL-19 is related to the etiopathological inflammatory process of acne vulgaris and correlates with acne severity. It could be proposed as a prognostic inflammatory marker for acne vulgaris.