Elevated 17-hydroxyprogesterone serum values in male patients with acne

Androgen excess may provoke or aggravate acne by inducing seborrhea. In women, androgen disorders are frequently suspected when acne is accompanied by hirsutism or irregularities of the menstrual cycle. In men, however, acne may be the only sign of androgen excess.

Our aim was to investigate whether male patients with acne display pathologic androgen blood values.

This case-control study at a university dermatology department with referred and unreferred patients investigated male acne patients (n = 82, consecutive sample) in whom the diagnosis of mild to severe acne was made, as well as a control group of men without acne (n = 38). The main outcome measures were androgen parameters including morning values of testosterone, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, androstenedione, and 17-hydroxyprogesterone; as well as a corticotropin stimulation test.

17-Hydroxyprogesterone levels were significantly higher (P = .01) in acne patients than in the control group, whereas the other parameters did not differ significantly. In addition, the corticotropin stimulation test revealed abnormal 17-hydroxyprogesterone induction values in 10 of 82 patients.

The analysis is limited to a selection of androgen parameters.

The results suggest that in men irregularities of adrenal steroid metabolism may be a factor contributing to acne.