Objectives. To assess inflammatory serum markers including serum proinflammatory cytokines, C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) according to the clinical inflammatory ...activity of patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). Patients and Methods. Seventy-four patients with HS were studied based on the Hidradenitis Suppurativa-Physician Global Assessment (HS-PGA) score and Hurley staging system. Proinflammatory cytokines were measured using a multiplex cytokine assay. Twenty-two healthy volunteers were recruited. Results. Serum interleukin- (IL-) 6, IL-23, soluble tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) receptor I (sTNF-RI), CRP, and ESR were different in the patients with HS compared with those in the healthy controls (P<0.05). The levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-17A, sTNF-RII, CRP, and ESR were significantly elevated according to inflammatory activity based on HS-PGA scores (r>0.25, P<0.05). The levels of IL-6 (r=0.53, P<0.001), CRP (r=0.54, P<0.001), and ESR (r=0.60, P<0.001) were especially well correlated with clinical inflammatory activity based on HS-PGA scores. The levels of IL-6, IL-8, sTNF-RI, sTNF-RII, CRP, and ESR were significantly elevated according to Hurley staging system. Conclusions. Serum proinflammatory cytokines, CRP, and ESR are increased in relation to the clinical inflammatory activity of patients with HS compared with healthy controls. Serum IL-6, CRP, and ESR are effective biomarkers for evaluating the severity of HS.
The objective of this study was to analyse the sun exposure habits of elite aquatics athletes, together with their sunburn history and skin examination habits, taking into account differences by sex ...and between sports. A cross-sectional health survey was conducted at world championship events during which elite surfers, windsurfers and Olympic sailors from 30 different countries were invited to participate. The athletes were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire focused on sun protection habits, sun exposure and sports practices. The survey was completed by 240 athletes, 171 men (71.3%) and 69 women (28.8%), with a mean age of 22 years (SD 5.86) and skin phototypes I (6.3%), II (3.3%), III (22.0%), IV (32.5%), V (9.2%) and VI (1.7%). There were significant differences between male and female athletes in skin self-examination (
p
< 0.001) and in the use of sunglasses (
p
< 0.001). In sunburn history during the last season, there were significant differences (
p
< 0.001) among the three sports analysed, in both sexes. The mean rate of sunburn during the previous season was 76.7%, and 27.5% of participants reported having experienced three or more sunburns that lasted at least 1 day. This type of athlete is at high risk of sunburn and hence of future skin cancer. However, there is a general lack of awareness of this risk. This study highlights the need to inform such athletes and to raise awareness of the dangers, through educational interventions on the importance of protecting against sunburn in order to reduce the future incidence of skin cancer.