Open AccessCorrelation of Body Mass Index with Epidermal Biophysical Properties Varies with Gender in Chinese
Author(s) -
Ye Li,
Qingsong Lai,
Shusheng Wen,
Xiaohua Wang,
Bin Yang,
MaoQiang Man
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
skin pharmacology and physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.703
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1660-5535
pISSN - 1660-5527
DOI - 10.1159/000524295
Subject(s) - stratum corneum , transepidermal water loss , medicine , endocrinology , body mass index , chemistry , forearm , anatomy , pathology
Background: Epidermal function is associated with diabetes and renal disease. Whether obesity can reflect the changes in epidermal function is not clear yet. Objective: We assessed here the correlation of epidermal functions with body mass index (BMI) in a large Chinese cohort. Methods and Subjects: A total of 1405 Chinese aged 21 to 96 years old were enrolled in this study. Epidermal functions, including transepidermal water loss (TEWL), stratum corneum hydration and skin surface pH, were measured on the flexor forearm and the shin. Subjects’ height and body weight were also measured. Results: 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 with stratum corneum hydration on the shin of males. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that correlations of BMI with age and epidermal functions vary with gender.