Impact of facial and truncal acne on quality of life: A multi-country population-based survey

Jerry Tan,Stefan Beissert,Fran Cook-Bolden,Rajeev Chavda,Julie Harper,Adelaide Hebert,Edward Lain,Alison Layton,Marco Rocha,Jonathan Weiss,Brigitte Dréno

doi:10.1016/j.jdin.2021.03.002

Abstract

BackgroundAcne confers an increased risk of physical, psychiatric, and psychosocial sequelae, potentially affecting multiple dimensions of health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Morbidity associated with truncal acne is poorly understood.ObjectiveTo determine how severity and location of acne lesions impact the HRQoL of those who suffer from it.MethodsA total of 694 subjects with combined facial and truncal acne (F+T) and 615 with facial acne only (F) participated in an online, international survey. Participants self-graded the severity of their acne at different anatomical locations and completed the dermatology life quality index (DLQI).ResultsThe F+T participants were twice as likely to report “very large” to “extremely large” impact on HRQoL (ie, DLQI > 10 and children's DLQI [CDLQI] > 12) as compared with the F participants (DLQI: odds ratio [OR] 1.61 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.02-2.54]; CDLQI: OR 1.86 [95% CI 1.10-3.14]). The impact of acne on HRQoL increased with increasing acne severity on the face (DLQI and CDLQI P values = .001 and .017, respectively), chest (P = .003; P = .008), and back (P = .001; P = .028).LimitationsTemporal evaluation of acne impact was not estimated.ConclusionsFacial and truncal acne was associated with a greater impact on HRQoL than facial acne alone. Increasing severity of truncal acne increases the adverse impact on HRQoL irrespective of the severity of facial acne.

Highlights

IntroductionAcne is an inflammatory disease of pilosebaceous units with an estimated global prevalence (all ages) of 9.4%, ranking it among the top 10 most prevalent conditions worldwide.[1,2] It primarily affects the face (99%) and less frequently the chest or back (ie, approximately half of the cases with facial acne).[3,4]
The impact of acne on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) increased with increasing acne severity on the face (DLQI and CDLQI P values = .001 and .017, respectively), chest (P = .003; P = .008), and back (P = .001; P = .028)
Facial and truncal acne was associated with a greater impact on HRQoL than facial acne alone

Summary

Introduction

Acne is an inflammatory disease of pilosebaceous units with an estimated global prevalence (all ages) of 9.4%, ranking it among the top 10 most prevalent conditions worldwide.[1,2] It primarily affects the face (99%) and less frequently the chest or back (ie, approximately half of the cases with facial acne).[3,4].

Methods

Results

Conclusion