Trends in acne vulgaris burden in the United States: National and state-level estimates (2010–2021)

Summary: <br /> Background: Acne vulgaris is the most common inflammatory dermatologic condition with significant psychosocial and economic burdens. Though often associated with adolescence, its persistence into adulthood and rising prevalence warrant further study. Objective: To assess national and state-level trends in the age-standardized rates for incidence (ASIR), prevalence (ASPR), and disability-adjusted life years or DALY (ASDR) of acne vulgaris in the United States from 2010 to 2021. Methods: This population-based study utilized Global Burden of Disease 2021 data to estimate ASIR, ASPR, and ASDR (per 100,000), stratified by state, gender, and age. Temporal trends were assessed using percentage changes over time. All estimates were reported with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). Results: In 2021, there were 4,440,168 incident cases of acne in the US, a 14.29% increase since 2010. Over this period, nationwide prevalence, incidence, and DALY burden consistently increased. In 2021, ASIR was 1,618.10 per 100,000, ASPR was 3,128.48 per 100,000, and ASDR was 66.08 per 100,000, reflecting increases of 12.26%, 11.3%, and 10.8%, respectively. Both sexes experienced a higher burden, with females exhibiting nearly twice the incidence rate of males. Among age groups, adolescents (10–19 years) had the highest age-specific incidence, while children under 14 years showed the largest increase since 2010. State-level variations were notable, with the highest incidence in the District of Columbia and New York and the lowest in Wyoming and Alaska. Conclusion: Acne incidence and burden have increased in the US, with significant state-level differences and a disproportionate impact on younger populations and females. Hossein Akbarialiabad¹, Mohammad Hossein Taghrir², James Del Rosso³, Christopher G. Bunick⁴, Ayman Grada⁵ 1. Department of Dermatology, University of Utah Health, Salt Lake City, UT, United States. 2. Department of Dermatology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Fars Province, Iran (the Islamic Republic of). 3. Dermatology, Touro University Nevada, Henderson, NV, United States. 4. Department of Dermatology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States. 5. Department of Dermatology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States. Clinical Research: Epidemiology and Observational Research