The Association between the Level of Advanced Glycation End Products and Objective Skin Quality Parameters

Abstract

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) represent an endogenously produced or exogenously derived group of compounds derived from nonenzymatic glycation. Recent experimental studies are suggesting that AGEs could play an important role in the skin’s quality and its aging process. Hence, the aim of this study was to clinically evaluate the AGEs and skin quality parameters across different age groups in the general population. The study included 237 participants. Melanin, erythema, hydration, friction and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) were evaluated using noninvasive probes, while AGEs were evaluated using a skin autofluorescence reader. There was a significant positive correlation between AGEs and the amount of melanin (p < 0.001), erythema (p < 0.001) and TEWL (p < 0.001), while there was a significant negative correlation between AGEs and hydration (p < 0.001) and friction (p < 0.001). After dividing the sample into three groups depending on their age, in all three groups, there was a significant positive correlation between AGEs and the melanin count (p < 0.001) and TEWL (p < 0.001), while there was a significant negative correlation between AGEs and skin hydration (p < 0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the level of AGEs as a dependent variable retained a significant association with age (p < 0.001), melanin (p < 0.001), erythema (p = 0.005) and TEWL (p < 0.001) as positive predictors. Moreover, AGEs retained a significant association with skin hydration (p < 0.001) and friction (p = 0.017) as negative predictors. These outcomes imply that AGEs could be linked with the complex physiology of the skin and its aging process.