TY - JOUR
T1 - Natural moisturising factor constituents in South African nursing students
AU - Young, Monica
AU - du Plessis, Johannes Lodewykus
AU - Kezic, Sanja
AU - Jakasa, Ivone
AU - Franken, Anja
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Authors. Contact Dermatitis published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
PY - 2024/4
Y1 - 2024/4
N2 - Background: The majority of South African healthcare workers are Black Africans with dark-pigmented skin. Studies on how the markers of skin barrier function and natural moisturising factor (NMF) compare between dark and light-pigmented skin are limited. Quantifying NMF in a nursing student population during their practical training at university may provide valuable insight into their potential susceptibility to skin conditions associated with low NMF. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to quantify and compare NMF content of Black African, Mixed Race and White nursing students from their dominant dorsal hand. Methods: Forty-nine White, 32 Black African and 5 Mixed Race nursing students participated in this study. Tape strip samples were collected from the participants' dominant dorsal hand and NMF content was measured, including histidine (HIS), pyrrolidone carboxylic acid (PCA), trans-urocanic acid (t-UCA) and cis-urocanic acid (c-UCA), as well as cytokines interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1α) and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA). Results: No statistically significant differences in PCA, t-UCA, c-UCA, IL-1α or IL-1RA were found between Black African and White nursing students. HIS was significantly (p = 0.001) higher in White nursing students when compared to Black African students. The ratio of tot-UCA/HIS was significantly higher in Black Africans (p = 0.0002) when compared to White nursing students. Conclusion: No significant differences were established in NMF content between White and Black African nursing students, other than HIS which was significantly higher in White students than in Black African students. Different HIS levels between the racial groups suggest variation in histidase activity which may be related to skin pH and pigmentation. This finding may suggest that nursing students at the beginning of their careers may have similar susceptibility to skin diseases related to NMF.
AB - Background: The majority of South African healthcare workers are Black Africans with dark-pigmented skin. Studies on how the markers of skin barrier function and natural moisturising factor (NMF) compare between dark and light-pigmented skin are limited. Quantifying NMF in a nursing student population during their practical training at university may provide valuable insight into their potential susceptibility to skin conditions associated with low NMF. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to quantify and compare NMF content of Black African, Mixed Race and White nursing students from their dominant dorsal hand. Methods: Forty-nine White, 32 Black African and 5 Mixed Race nursing students participated in this study. Tape strip samples were collected from the participants' dominant dorsal hand and NMF content was measured, including histidine (HIS), pyrrolidone carboxylic acid (PCA), trans-urocanic acid (t-UCA) and cis-urocanic acid (c-UCA), as well as cytokines interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1α) and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA). Results: No statistically significant differences in PCA, t-UCA, c-UCA, IL-1α or IL-1RA were found between Black African and White nursing students. HIS was significantly (p = 0.001) higher in White nursing students when compared to Black African students. The ratio of tot-UCA/HIS was significantly higher in Black Africans (p = 0.0002) when compared to White nursing students. Conclusion: No significant differences were established in NMF content between White and Black African nursing students, other than HIS which was significantly higher in White students than in Black African students. Different HIS levels between the racial groups suggest variation in histidase activity which may be related to skin pH and pigmentation. This finding may suggest that nursing students at the beginning of their careers may have similar susceptibility to skin diseases related to NMF.
KW - cis-urocanic acid
KW - natural moisturising factor
KW - pyrrolidone carboxylic acid
KW - tertiary education
KW - trans-urocanic acid
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85182813883&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1111/cod.14498
DO - https://doi.org/10.1111/cod.14498
M3 - Article
C2 - 38254239
SN - 0105-1873
VL - 90
SP - 378
EP - 384
JO - Contact dermatitis
JF - Contact dermatitis
IS - 4
ER -