Changes in laboratory variables induced by isotretinoin treatment of acne.
During a trial of isotretinoin (0.5 mg/kg body weight/day for 3 months) in 90 patients with severe acne, the leucocyte (WBC) count, and particularly the number of neutrophils, decreased significantly. In patients with a good response the mean WBC count fell by 24% and the neutrophils by 33%, whereas in those with a poor response these variables decreased by 8% and 14%, respectively. The serum ALAT, ASAT, cholesterol and triglyceride levels increased significantly. Patients with a poor response (n = 35) received a higher dosage (0.75 mg/kg) for an additional 3 months, and during this period there was a further decrease in the WBC and neutrophil counts and an increase in the triglyceride level. In the other patients, who initially responded well, the dosage was decreased to 0.1 or 0 mg/kg during the second 3-month period, which resulted in reversion of the laboratory variables to the pre-treatment levels. The observed changes were clearly both dose-dependent and reversible.
D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015474:Isotretinoin; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D014280:Triglycerides; D014212:Tretinoin; D002784:Cholesterol; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D015474:Isotretinoin