title: Short-term oral isotretinoin therapy does not cause clinical or subclinical peripheral neuropathy.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Patras, Greece. echroni@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chroni
authors.forename: Efi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pasmatzi
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Monastirli
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Georgiou
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Katsoulas
authors.forename: Panayiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Polychronopoulos
authors.forename: Dionysios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tsambaos
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D015474:Isotretinoin