Short-term oral isotretinoin therapy does not cause clinical or subclinical peripheral neuropathy.
BACKGROUND
Subclinical neurophysiologic abnormalities mainly suggestive of sensory fibers dysfunction were observed in some patients after 1 and 3 months of treatment with oral acitretin. Moreover, two cases of peripheral sensory neuropathy and one of sensorimotor polyneuropathy were observed after short-term oral administration of this compound.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this prospective study was to investigate whether short-term treatment with oral isotretinoin can also affect peripheral nerve function.


METHODS
Serial neurologic and neurophysiologic examinations were performed on 18 young patients with severe nodulocystic acne prior to and 1 and 3 months after the onset of oral isotretinoin treatment (1 mg/kg per day).


RESULTS
Clinical neurologic examination before and under treatment disclosed no abnormalities in any of the patients. There were no significant differences between the pre- and post-treatment neurophysiologic parameters. Furthermore, evaluation of the serial neurophysiologic measurements in each patient separately under oral isotretinoin treatment revealed no changes fulfilling the criteria of abnormality.


CONCLUSIONS
Short-term administration of oral isotretinoin in young patients does not cause clinical or subclinical neuropathy.
Chroni
Elisabeth
E
Department of Neurology, University of Patras, Greece. echroni@yahoo.com
Pasmatzi
Efi
E
Monastirli
Alexandra
A
Georgiou
Sophia
S
Katsoulas
George
G
Polychronopoulos
Panayiotis
P
Tsambaos
Dionysios
D
D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000188:drug therapy; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015474:Isotretinoin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000187:drug effects*; 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
D015474:Isotretinoin