The correlation between interleukin-6 (IL-6) level and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level in acne vulgaris

Abstract

Link of Video Abstract: https://youtu.be/nzfZMVQs6Cs Background: Acne vulgaris (AV) is a common inflammation of the pilosebaceous unit. Inflammation is one of the four important factors in the genesis of AV. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a powerful major inducer of C-reactive protein (CRP) production and a proinflammatory cytokine. High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels can detect very low CRP concentrations. The purpose of this research is to ascertain whether the levels of IL-6 and hs-CRP in AV are related. Methods: Forty-five subjects over 18 who had AV and 45 subjects who did not have AV served was included in this observational analytic research. IL-6 and hs-CRP levels are measured while the subject is examined, and basic statistics are recorded. Mann-Whitney and Spearman correlation tests were used to evaluate the data. Results: In this study, AV was more dominant in women, consisting of 30 people (66.7%). The highest age in the study group was aged 18–22 years, comprising 25 people (56%). The mean IL-6 level in the AV group was 63.3 ng/L, and the control group, with an average value of 56.9 ng/L, showed a significant difference (p=0.014). There were substantial differences between the AV and control groups, as evidenced by the average hs-CRP levels of 5.48 ng/mL in the AV group and 4.27 ng/mL in the control group (p<0.001). Between the AV and control groups, there is a significant positive association between IL-6 and hs-CRP levels (r=0.700; p<0.001). Conclusion: There is a strong correlation between IL-6 and hs-CRP levels in AV.