Dermatology Research
Open AccessA Comparative Study of Serum Zinc Levels in Melasma Patients and Control: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Rini Thukral, Sudhir Singh, Bhushan Madke.
Abstract
Background: People of Asian, African, and Latino ancestry are commonly disproportionately affected by the skin disorder melasma. Melasma is characterised by a darkening of sun-exposed facial skin, most noticeably the cheeks, forehead, and nose areas. It was hypothesised that UV light encourages keratinocytes to produce more plasmin activity. The peak age for onset is estimated to be between 30 and 44 years. While women are disproportionately affected by melasma, men are not immune. Fitzpatrick skin phototypes III- IV have been found to be the most common in Melasma patients.
Aims & Objective: To access is there any relation between melasma and serum zinc levels.
Figuring out the average blood zinc levels in melasma patients.
Are there any link between low zinc levels in the blood and melasma.
Materials and Method: An observational case-control study was conducted. A sample size of 132 patients having complaints of melasma and other skin diseases as control were selected. Patients were enrolled at AVBRH sawangi dermatology outpatient department wardha, India. Following patient consent, blood samples were collected and sent to the laboratory for further analysis. This is done to compare serum zinc levels between melasma and other skin disease patients in adulthood.
Results: The baseline characteristics have been presented for the recruited patients shows the age distribution of the study participants. With mean age of patients was 38.53yrs in cases and 35.35yrs in control group with no significant mean difference. The mean level of serum zinc in cases (78.23±27.79) was found to be significantly lower compared to controls (104.91±45.57). (p
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