Background: TWEAK is an inflammatory cytokine which is involved in the development
of many inflammatory disorders.
Aims: This study aimed to evaluate serum levels of TWEAK in patients with acne
vulgaris.
Subjects and Methods: This case‐controlled study included 100 acne vulgaris patients
divided into two groups. Group 1 included 25 patients with moderate acne and
25 patients with severe acne. Group 2 consisted of 50 acne‐free control subjects.
Acne was graded by the Global Acne Grading System (GAGS). Serum TWEAK was
measured by ELISA kits.
Results: Acne patients had significant elevation in TWEAK serum levels when compared
to the control subjects (P < 0.001). TWEAK serum levels did not show significant
difference regarding disease grade, postacne scar, and hyperpigmentation (P
value = 0.43, 0.37, 0.80, 0.67, respectively). TWEAK levels were not affected by any
of the studied variables except for the significant negative correlation between its
levels and the disease duration in severe acne group only (r = −0.42, P = 0.03).
Conclusion: TWEAK may be involved in acne vulgaris development, but more studies
are needed to clarify its role.