Peculiarities and sex differences of skinfold thickness in ukrainian men and women with urticaria
Authors: Aladwan A. M. A. 
Published: October 2024

Annotation. Anthropometric measurements are crucial for understanding individual differences in the context of various diseases. In the case of urticaria, studying anthropometric data, such as skinfolds thickness, becomes particularly significant. Understanding sex-specific differences in these measurements can have a substantial impact on the effectiveness of diagnosis and treatment. This study aims to explore how different forms of urticaria manifest through anthropometric parameters in men and women, potentially leading to improved treatment approaches and enhanced quality of medical care. The aim of the study is to establish the characteristics and sex-based differences in skinfold thickness among young Ukrainian men and women suffering from acute and chronic urticaria of mild and severe forms. The thickness of skinfolds was measured in 40 young Ukrainian men and 40 young Ukrainian women (aged 25-44 years according to WHO age classification, 2015) with acute (AU) and chronic (CU) urticaria of mild (MU) and severe (SU) forms. As a control group, skinfold thickness data from 82 practically healthy Ukrainian men and 101 practically healthy Ukrainian women of similar age, taken from the database of the National Pirogov Memorial Medical University research center in Vinnytsya, were used. Statistical analysis of skinfold thickness was conducted using the licensed "Statistica 6.0" software package with non-parametric evaluation methods. Comparing skinfold thickness between urticaria patients and healthy controls, the following significant or trending differences were found: in patients with various forms and severities of urticaria, lower values of skinfold thickness on the upper limb (59.77-106.52 % lower in men and 22.04-96.75 % lower in women) and on the shin (24.75-47.25 % lower in men and 30.61-59.85 % lower in women); in female patients only, lower values of skinfolds under the lower angle of the scapula (41.46-46.40% lower in CU/MU and CU/SU) and on the thigh (21.33-33.58 % lower in AU/MU, AU/SU, and CU/MU), as well as higher values of skinfolds on the chest, abdomen, and side (30.40-110.73 % higher in AU/MU, AU/SU, CU/MU, and CU/SU); in male patients only, lower values of skinfolds on the forearm (26.45-34.61 % lower in AU/MU, CU/MU, and CU/SU), under the lower angle of the scapula (28.86-30.10 % lower in CU/MU and CU/SU), and on the thigh (48.84-113.3 % lower in AU/MU, AU/SU, CU/MU, and CU/SU), as well as higher values of skinfolds on the chest (36.07-40.13 % higher in AU/SU, CU/MU, and CU/SU), abdomen (45.99-47.61 % higher in AU/SU and CU/SU), and side (29.30-62.79 % higher in AU/MU, AU/SU, and CU/MU). Practically no significant or trending differences were found when comparing skinfold thickness between male and female urticaria patients. The following manifestations of sexual dimorphism in skinfold thickness between corresponding groups of male and female patients were observed: significantly greater or trend-wise greater values in female patients for skinfolds on the forearm (32.26 % higher in CU/SU), chest (42.65-50.00 % higher in AU/MU and CU/MU), and thigh (65.67-121.7 % higher in AU/MU, CU/MU, and CU/SU), as well as lower values for skinfolds under the lower angle of the scapula (34.88 % lower in CU/MU).