Abstract:
Epidermal function is associated with some systemic conditions, including obesity, diabetes and renal disease. In children, transepidermal water loss rates are higher in overweight than normal weight individuals. Likewise, subjects with body mass index (BMI) over 40 display a high transepidemal water loss rate in comparison to those with low BMI. Moreover, individuals with excessive body weight exhibit a lower level of stratum corneum hydration. These data suggest a link between obesity and epidermal function. To further delineate this link, we assessed epidermal function and BMI in 1405 subjects, aged 21 to 96 years old. Our results showed that age positively correlated with both TEWL and skin surface pH, while negatively correlating with stratum corneum hydration on both the forearm and the shin of females. Similarly, age positively correlated with skin surface pH, while negatively correlating with stratum corneum hydration on both the forearm and the shin of males. In females, BMI positively correlated with skin surface pH, while negatively correlating with stratum corneum hydration on both the forearm and the shin. However, BMI correlated with neither skin surface pH on both the forearm and the shin nor stratum corneum hydration on the shin of males. These results demonstrate that
a). BMI is associated with alterations in epidermal functions, and b). the association of BMI with epidermal function is gender-dependent. Alterations in epidermal functions can provoke and exacerbate cutaneous inflammation, resulting extracutaneous inflammation, while inflammation contributes,at least in part, to the pathogenesis of obesity. Thus, improvements in epidermal function could attenuate obesity although it is not clear whether obesity alters epidermal functions or vice versa.
Audience Take Away:
- Obesity is associated with altered epidermal functions.
- Epidermal dysfunction can result in cutaneous and extracutaneous inflammation Because of the pathogenic role of inflammation in obesity, improvements in epidermal function could benefit individuals with obesity.
