Natural moisturising factor constituents in South African nursing students

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 populatio...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Contact dermatitis Vol. 90; no. 4; pp. 378 - 384
Main Authors: Young, Monica, Plessis, Johannes Lodewykus, Kezic, Sanja, Jakasa, Ivone, Franken, Anja
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.04.2024
Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
Subjects:
Biomarkers
Carboxylic acids
cis‐urocanic acid
Cytokines
Dermatitis, Allergic Contact
Dermatology
Health risks
Histidine
Humans
Inflammation
Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein
Medical personnel
natural moisturising factor
Nursing
Nursing education
Pigmentation
pyrrolidone carboxylic acid
Racial differences
Skin - chemistry
Skin diseases
South Africa
Statistical analysis
Students
Students, Nursing
tertiary education
trans‐urocanic acid
Ultraviolet Rays
Urocanic Acid - analysis
Urocanic Acid - chemistry
South Africa
pyrrolidone carboxylic acid
tertiary education
cis-urocanic acid
natural moisturising factor
trans-urocanic acid
ISSN:0105-1873, 1600-0536, 1600-0536
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary: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. NMF content, including 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), was not significantly different between White and Black African nursing students. Histidine (HIS) content was significantly higher in White nursing students.
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ISSN:0105-1873
1600-0536
1600-0536
DOI:10.1111/cod.14498