Evaluation of the Serum Zinc Level in Adult Egyptian Patients with Melasma

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 faculty of medicine zagazig uneversity

2 dematology &venerology faculty of medicine zagazig university hospital

3 zagazig university dermatology venerology and andrology department

4 Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Department of Clinical Pathology, Sharkia, Egypt

Abstract

Introduction: Melasma is a pigmentary disorder. Zinc has anti oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. Zinc also stop more activity of melanocytes and guard skin from ultraviolet rays. These mechanisms make zinc has a role in prevention of melasma.
Objective: To assess the serum zinc level in adult Egyptian patients with melasma, and to correlate duration and severity of melasma with level.
Methods: A Case- control study involved a total of 72 melasma patients and 72 healthy controls and carried in the outpatient clinic of Dermatology, Venerology & Andrology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University Hospitals from February to august 2018. Melasma severity was assesd by modified area and severity index (mMASI). Caliometric method was used for measurement of the levels of serum zinc in each group. The statistical analysis was performed with SPSS software.
Results: The results revealed a considerable decrease in levels of the serum zinc in all cases and a high important negative correlation between serum zinc level and both mMASI and duration of melasma in the studied cases.
Conclusion: Comparing melasma patients with age and sex matched control regarding serum zinc level there is a decrease in the level of the serum zinc in all cases . A negative correlation present between serum zinc level and melasma severity and its duration in all cases.

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