BACKGROUND: Patients with cystic acne (CA) frequently report feeling self conscious, anxiety and social isolation. METHODS: Mood characteristics as well as self-esteem scores of 38 patients with CA were evaluated before and after 30 days treatment with isotretinoin. A high pressure, liquid chromatography method was used for the evaluation of catecholamines (epinephrine (E) and nor-epinephrine (NE)) in the blood of the patients at the time of the study and in controls (n = 30) after their psychological testing. Moreover, E and NE were measured in the blood of eight healthy volunteers before and after 1 month 'treatment' with the drug. RESULTS: The CA subjects evidenced anxiety and high catecholamine plasma levels (E = 98.0+/-0.8 pg/ml, NE = 250.8+/-56.6 pg/ml) before treatment compared to controls (E = 71.8+/-23.0 pg/ml, NE = 190.0+/-52 pg/ml, P < 0.006), and these levels were lower (E = 75.4+/-21.4 pg/ml, NE = 202.0+/-49.9 pg/ml, P < 0.001) when their psychological status returned to normal after treatment. No differences were observed in E and NE levels in the eight healthy volunteers who received the same dose of the drug at the same time of study. CONCLUSIONS: It is suggested that not only the psychological status is influenced in subjects with CA but also their sympathoadrenal system.
BACKGROUND:Patients with cystic acne (CA) frequently report feeling self conscious, anxiety and social isolation. METHODS: Mood characteristics as well as self-esteem scores of 38 patients with CA were evaluated before and after 30 days treatment with isotretinoin. A high pressure, liquid chromatography method was used for the evaluation of catecholamines (epinephrine (E) and nor-epinephrine (NE)) in the blood of the patients at the time of the study and in controls (n = 30) after their psychological testing. Moreover, E and NE were measured in the blood of eight healthy volunteers before and after 1 month 'treatment' with the drug. RESULTS: The CA subjects evidenced anxiety and high catecholamine plasma levels (E = 98.0+/-0.8 pg/ml, NE = 250.8+/-56.6 pg/ml) before treatment compared to controls (E = 71.8+/-23.0 pg/ml, NE = 190.0+/-52 pg/ml, P < 0.006), and these levels were lower (E = 75.4+/-21.4 pg/ml, NE = 202.0+/-49.9 pg/ml, P < 0.001) when their psychological status returned to normal after treatment. No differences were observed in E and NE levels in the eight healthy volunteers who received the same dose of the drug at the same time of study. CONCLUSIONS: It is suggested that not only the psychological status is influenced in subjects with CA but also their sympathoadrenal system.
Authors: Vassilis P Kontaxakis; Demetris Skourides; Panayotis Ferentinos; Beata J Havaki-Kontaxaki; George N Papadimitriou Journal: Ann Gen Psychiatry Date: 2009-01-20 Impact factor: 3.455