The potential role of insulin-like growth factor 1 in acne vulgaris and its correlation with the clinical response before and after treatment with metformin

Background Acne vulgaris (AV) is a complex and multifactorial inflammatory disease affecting the pilosebaceous follicles. Optimum treatment of AV is important to reduce the disease severity and recurrence. Aim To evaluate the role of metformin in the treatment of acne vulgaris by reducing the level of insulin-like growth factor 1. Methods Fifty patients with AV were included in the study. Their ages ranged from 16 to 30 years, and they had different grades of the disease. IGF-1 levels were measured in all patients before and after the treatment with metformin. Results After 4 months of therapy, there was a clinical improvement detected by an improvement in the global acne grading system (GAGS) score and also a significant decrease in IGF-level. Conclusion IGF-1 may have an important role in the pathogenesis of acne; also we can presume that oral metformin is an effective and safe line in the treatment of AV.

Automated summary

This study evaluated the role of metformin in the treatment of acne vulgaris and found that it can improve the condition by reducing the level of insulin-like growth factor 1.