Dermatologists often request an acne protocol test when assessing a patient’s acne and planning a possible pharmacological treatment.
What is an acne protocol test?
Dermatologists often request an acne protocol analysis when assessing a patient’s acne and planning a possible pharmacological treatment.
What does it consist of?
Normally in this test a blood analysis is performed, in which a complete blood count, glucose, creatinine, GOT, GPT, total cholesterol, triglycerides and creatine kinase (CK) in blood are measured.
Once the blood test has been performed, the blood test results report is analyzed.
These analytical tests are usually performed before the treatment and a second analysis should be performed one month after the application of the treatment.
To perform an acne protocol analysis, a blood test is performed.
Why is it done?
With the application of a pharmacological treatment for acne (for example a treatment with isotetrinoin) it is possible that an elevation of transaminases and total cholesterol and triglycerides may occur, so it is mandatory to perform analytical controls before and during treatment.
Preparation for the acne protocol analysis
No special preparation is necessary, but it will be the dermatology specialist who will explain to the patient what to do before the study. You may be asked to fast before the blood test.
How do you feel during the analysis?
As a general rule, the patient will not notice anything during the test, since only a blood sample will be taken in order to perform the analysis. Meaning of abnormal results When reviewing the results of the analysis it is possible that some levels appear to be high, mainly affecting the liver:
- Cholesterol: this may occur at the start of treatment with isotetrinoin.
- Triglycerides: their elevation may occur with isotetrinoin treatment.
- Transaminases: their elevation may occur at the beginning of isotetrinoin treatment, but also if the patient ingests alcohol while on treatment. The increase in transaminases can cause liver damage and although it is reversible, if the increase exceeds two or three times the normal value (5-60 IU/l), acne treatment should be suspended.
- AST or GOT: when a blood test detects elevated levels of these molecules it may indicate liver cell injury.