A nationwide case-control study from Taiwan has identified a significant association between acne vulgaris and gastrointestinal comorbidities, emphasizing the potential need for gastroenterology consultations in patients with moderate-to-severe acne.
In the study, published in Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology International, investigators analyzed data from 185,491 patients with acne vulgaris, sourced from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database between 1997 and 2013. They found a heightened risk of peptic ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroenteritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and constipation in the patients with acne compared with age- and sex-matched controls.
The increased risk was most pronounced in adolescent and adult patients aged 12 years and older, with female patients demonstrating a higher prevalence across all age groups. The patients with moderate-to-severe acne were particularly vulnerable to developing gastrointestinal (GI) comorbidities.
Conditional logistic regression analysis revealed a consistent association between acne vulgaris and GI conditions, even after accounting for factors such as antibiotic use. While the exact mechanisms remained unclear, the findings underscored the relevance of the gut-skin-brain axis in acne pathophysiology.
"Our 13-year population-based study revealed that patients with acne have an overall elevated risk of experiencing gastrointestinal comorbidities, including peptic ulcers, IBS, constipation, gastroenteritis, and GERD, regardless of age difference," emphasized lead study author Yu-Wen Chen, MD, of the Department of Dermatology at Taichung Veterans General Hospital in Taichung, Taiwan, and colleagues.
The study acknowledged limitations, including potential miscoding and misclassification within the administrative database, but noted the robust sample size and population-based design as key strengths.
Given the elevated risk of GI comorbidities, dermatologists should consider multidisciplinary collaboration, particularly in patients with severe acne.
The research added to the growing body of evidence suggesting systemic implications of dermatologic conditions, warranting further investigation into integrative management strategies for affected patients.
The research utilized data from the publicly accessible Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, minimizing potential conflicts of interest. No financial disclosures, affiliations or conflict of interests were reported that might influence the study's findings.
