[Side effects of treatment with isotretinoin in patients with acne].
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the present paper is to assess side effects linked to the treatment of severe acne forms with administration of isotretinoin systemic and various drugs applied locally and/or systemic.


METHODS
All the examinations were carried out on patients suffering from severe acne (n=206; 126 F and 80 M) hospitalized in Department of Dermatology, Silesian Medical School, in the years of 1991-2000, as well as amongst patients who continued their therapy in the outpatient clinic of the Dermatology Department during this period.


RESULTS
When assessing the individual groups, the following conclusions have been drawn: lack of the relationship between the diagnosis and the therapeutical process in the group of patients locally treated and in the groups of sick persons cured by other methods; there exists a very significant relationship between the diagnosis and the therapeutical process in the group of patients to whom the isotretinoin preparation was administered and in the group of patients locally cured. The obtained results showed that the most frequently encountered diagnoses, i.e. acne conglobata and acne papulous-pustular were treated by the isotretinoin preparation and via local therapy, respectively. In the period of hospitalization, the value p=0.5570 testifies to lack of relationship between the number of side effects and the treatment period. All side effects occurred almost exclusively in patients cured by the isotretinoin preparation. The test value, p=0.0418 computed for all the periods, has revealed statistically significant relationships between the female/male sex and the side effects, most frequently reported in male patients. For the purpose of analysis the two (2) more often groups of symptoms were taken into consideration: dermal changes and biochemical disturbances and/or dysfunctions. The value p=0.5312 (p>0.05) excludes the existence of statistically significant relationship between the kind of a specific symptom and the therapy period.


CONCLUSIONS
The performed medical examinations permitted to find out that side effects could be often recorded in a group of patients subjected to generally applied isotretinoin but it is never caused to stop therapy.
Bergler-Czop
Beata
B
Klinika Dermatologii Slaskiej Akademii Medycznej, Katowice. toledo_991@hotmail.com
Brzezińska-Wcisło
Ligia
L
D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015474:Isotretinoin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D015474:Isotretinoin