[Parameters of cellular and humoral immunity in patients with severe acne]

Severe forms of acne, characterized by predominance of inflammatory reactions and persistence of the disease for years, still present therapeutic problems. The purpose of our study was to investigate the role of the immune system in severe persisting forms of acne by means of determination of cellular and humoral immunobiological parameters. The study was performed on 52 patients (47 males and 5 females) having suffered from severe acne for six years on an average, including papulopustular acne grade IV resistant to therapy, nodulocystic acne, conglobate acne, and acne tetrade. The results were compared with those of 52 healthy controls of the same age showing no inflammatory diseases, who were tested on the same day. In 56% of the acne patients, one or more parameters showed pathological values, while in nodulocystic and conglobate acne there were similar results with regard to cellular defects and acute phase reactants. The lymphocytic proliferation induced by mitogens was significantly decreased in 35% of the acne patients. We assume that the immunodeficiency observed in these patients may be mainly secondary; however, it may contribute to the perpetuance of the disease and its resistance to therapy.