Quality of Life in Adolescents with Acne with or Without Other Chronic Disease(s)

Background: Acne is the most common skin disease in adolescence, negatively impacting self-image and self-esteem.Objectives: The present study examined if there is any difference in the QoL of patients with acne compared to patients with acne plus another chronic disease(s).Methods: Each subject completed a self-administered validated SF-36 instrument.Patients were divided into two groups for further analyses.Ninety-six patients with acne completed the QoL questionnaire.Results: Twenty-seven patients (28%) only had acne, while 69 patients (72%) also had other chronic disease(s).Vitality (energy) was lower in female patients.Mean SF-36 PHS (physical health summary), physical role (PR), bodily pain, and social functioning were lower for patients with inflammatory than for patients with non-inflammatory lesions.Patients at their first visit had lower median scores in PHS and PR than patients at their subsequent visit.MHS (mental health summary) scores were lower than PHS scores in both groups.The most affected dimensions of health in both groups were vitality (feels tired and worn out) and general health (feels personal health as poor and believes it likely to get worse).Conclusions: Acne itself has a negative impact on quality of life.Acne in adolescents with other chronic diseases of childhood [lifethreatening disease(s) or non-life-threatening disease(s)] has so much QoL impairment as in adolescents without other health problem.