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Acne and smoking: is there a relationship?
Alireza Firooz1, Reza Sarhangnejad, Seyyed Massoud Davoudi
1Center for Research & Training in Skin Diseases & Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 79 Taleghani Avenue, Tehran, Iran. firozali@sina.tums.ac.ir
BMC Dermatology
|March 26, 2005
Summary
This case-control study found no significant association between acne vulgaris and cigarette smoking after adjusting for sex. The research explored smoking habits in acne patients versus those with other skin conditions.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Contradictory reports exist regarding the link between acne vulgaris and cigarette smoking.
- Understanding this relationship is crucial for public health initiatives and patient counseling.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between acne vulgaris and cigarette smoking.
- To clarify the conflicting findings in existing literature through a case-control study.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study was conducted with 350 acne vulgaris patients and 350 controls with other skin diseases.
- Participants aged 15-40 years completed anonymous questionnaires on smoking habits.
- Data analysis included odds ratios and Mantel-Haenszel tests for significance.
Main Results:
- Initial analysis showed fewer current smokers among acne patients (4.1%) compared to controls (9.0%), with an odds ratio of 0.43.
- However, after adjusting for sex, this difference was not statistically significant (odds ratio: 0.61, p > 0.05).
- The study achieved high response rates of 83.7% for acne patients and 86.0% for controls.
Conclusions:
- This study did not find a significant association between acne vulgaris and cigarette smoking.
- The findings suggest that smoking may not be a contributing factor to acne development.
- Further research may be needed to explore potential confounding factors.