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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2016 Aug 25;11(8):e0161162.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161162. eCollection 2016.

Comparison of Vitamin D Levels in Patients with and without Acne: A Case-Control Study Combined with a Randomized Controlled Trial

Seul-Ki Lim  1 , Jeong-Min Ha  1 , Young-Ho Lee  2 , Young Lee  1 , Young-Joon Seo  1 , Chang-Deok Kim  1 , Jeung-Hoon Lee  1 , Myung Im  1
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Comparison of Vitamin D Levels in Patients with and without Acne: A Case-Control Study Combined with a Randomized Controlled Trial

Seul-Ki Lim et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background: Vitamin D plays an important role in the immune system, and its deficiency has been implicated in various skin diseases, including atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. Acne is a common inflammatory skin disease; however, the association with vitamin D remains unclear.

Objectives: We evaluated vitamin D levels in patients with acne to determine the effect of vitamin D supplementation.

Methods: This study included 80 patients with acne and 80 healthy controls. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels were measured, and demographic data were collected. Vitamin D-deficient patients were treated with oral cholecalciferol at 1000 IU/day for 2 months.

Results: Deficiency in 25(OH)D was detected in 48.8% of patients with acne, but in only 22.5% of the healthy controls. The level of 25(OH)D was inversely associated with the severity of acne, and there was a significant negative correlation with inflammatory lesions. In a subsequent trial, improvement in inflammatory lesions was noted after supplementation with vitamin D in 39 acne patients with 25(OH)D deficiency.

Limitations: Limitations of the study include the small number of patients in the supplementation study and the natural fluctuation of acne.

Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency was more frequent in patients with acne, and serum 25(OH)D levels were inversely correlated with acne severity, especially in patients with inflammatory lesions.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Flow diagram of randomized trial (CONSORT 2010 Flow Diagram).
Fig 2
Fig 2. Percentages of patients with different vitamin D levels.
Fig 3
Fig 3. Vitamin D levels and disease severity (*P < 0.05, ***P < 0.001).
Fig 4
Fig 4. Correlation between vitamin D levels and inflammatory acne.
Fig 5
Fig 5. Clinical effects of vitamin D supplementation in patients with acne.
(A) Change in vitamin D levels after vitamin D supplementation (***P < 0.001). (B) Photographs showing clinical improvement in a patient with acne. Photographs showing baseline (left) and last visit (right). (C) Median percentile changes from baseline in acne lesions (*P < 0.05).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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Grants and funding

The author(s) received no specific funding for this work. This study was supported by a grant of the Korea Healthcare technology R&D Project, Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (Grant No.: HI14C1379).