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Subject Area

Dermatology

Article Type

Original Study

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the role of superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme in melasma. Background Melasma is one of the most common acquired disorders of hyperpigmentation. SOD enzyme is upregulated in the presence of oxidative stress and can be utilized to detect it. Even though many potential etiological factors have been proposed, there is still much to learn about the pathophysiology of melasma. Patients and methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 50 patients presenting with melasma and 50 apparently normal individuals as a control group selected from the Outpatient Clinic, Dermatology, Andrology and Sexually Transmitted Diseases Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University during the period from April 2019 to August 2021. SOD expression was studied by the immunohistochemical staining procedure. Results The modified melasma area and severity index (MASI) score was higher in melasma cases with positive SOD expression compared with negative SOD expression cases, and this difference was highly significant (P < 0.001). Melasma cases with moderate or strong intensity of SOD were significantly associated with high mean and median modified MASI score in comparison to melasma cases with a mild intensity of SOD (P = 0.013). Conclusion Oxidative stress could play a role in the pathogenesis of melasma manifested by overexpression of SOD in melasma compared with normal skin. SOD expression could deteriorate the severity of melasma manifested by worsening of the MASI score.

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