Asian Journal of Research in Dermatological Science

Aims: The prevalence and severity of striae distensae vary among populations, although it poses no health risk but has a significant psychological effect. This research carried out at Imo State University was to determine the serum levels of some immunoglobulins (IgG, IgE, and IgM), any correlation between serum IgM with IgG and IgE, and body mass index in young adult females with striae distensae. The study also aims to determine and compare the demographic features of young adult female students with striae distensae and control in Imo State University.

Materials and Methods: Using random sampling technique, sixty (60) young adult females with striae distensae (test samples) were selected and age-matched with sixty (60) young adult females without striae distensae, who served as a control group. Ten milliliters (10ml) of venous blood was collected from each participant, it was dispensed into plain containers and was allowed to clot, and then centrifuged to obtain serum, which was stored at before use. While the immunoglobulins were determined using the Elisa technique, data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS 21, and the P<0.05 level of significance was adopted.

Results: The results reveal significant lower levels of IgG (29.33 \(\pm\) 5.10) , IgE (1378.01 \(\pm\) 263.52), and IgM  (762.52 \(\pm\) 188.09), in test samples as compared to control with IgG (33.40 \(\pm\) 4.32), IgE (1640.95 \(\pm\) 209.37), and IgM  (895.24 \(\pm\) 196.45). There was non-significant correlation of IgM with IgG (r = -0.217, p = 0.096) and IgE (r = -0.217, p = 0.095) while there was a significant correlation of IgG with IgE (r = 0.524, p ˂ .000) in young adult females with striae distensae. There was no significant difference in the BMI in all the striae distensae subjects compared with the control (0.234).

Conclusion: This study concludes that low plasma levels of immunoglobulins were associated with striae distensae in young adult females. The results observed striae distensae to be sparingly a consequence of being overweight and is liable to cause severe psychological distress on its subjects.