Effects of short-term oral acitretin therapy on peripheral nerve function: a prospective neurological and neurophysiological study.
The aim of the present prospective study was to substantiate possible side effects of short-term oral acitretin therapy (1 mg/kg/day) on peripheral nerve function of 13 patients with severe keratinization disorders. Clinical neurological examination before and 1 and 3 months after onset of treatment was unremarkable in all patients; however, a significant alteration of one or more neurophysiological, predominantly sensory, parameters was demonstrated in 3 out of 13 patients (23%) after 1 month and in 9 out of 13 (69%) after 3 months of oral acitretin therapy. These findings indicate that oral acitretin might be capable of causing a dysfunction of predominantly sensory nerve fibres in some individuals. Although in the investigated patients this dysfunction remained subclinical, it seems reasonable to suggest that neurological and neurophysiological evaluation of peripheral nerves should be added to the list of investigations that are routinely performed in patients receiving oral acitretin.
Chroni
E
E
Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Greece. echroni@yahoo.com
Georgiou
S
S
Monastirli
A
A
Paschalis
C
C
Tsambaos
D
D
D017255:Acitretin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000284:Administration, Oral; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007641:Keratolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000187:drug effects; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D010543:Peroneal Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D014459:Ulnar Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology
D007641:Keratolytic Agents; D017255:Acitretin