Isotretinoin is not associated with inflammatory bowel disease: a population-based case-control study.
OBJECTIVE
There is anecdotal evidence that isotretinoin use is associated with development of colitis. We aimed at determining whether there is an association between isotretinoin use and development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).


METHODS
The population-based University of Manitoba IBD Epidemiology Database and a control group matched by age, sex, and geographical residence were linked to the provincial prescription drug registry, a registry that was initiated in 1995. The number of users and duration of isotretinoin use were identified in both IBD cases and controls.


RESULTS
We found that 1.2% of IBD cases used isotretinoin before IBD diagnosis, which was statistically similar to controls (1.1% users). This was also similar to the number of IBD patients who used isotretinoin after a diagnosis of IBD (1.1%). There was no difference between isotretinoin use before Crohn's disease compared with its use before ulcerative colitis.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with IBD were no more likely to have used isotretinoin before diagnosis than were sex-, age-, and geography-matched controls. Although there may be anecdotes of isotretinoin causing acute colitis, our data suggest that isotretinoin is not likely to cause chronic IBD.
Bernstein
Charles N
CN
University of Manitoba IBD Clinical and Research Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. cbernst@cc.umanitoba.ca
Nugent
Zoann
Z
Longobardi
Teresa
T
Blanchard
James F
JF
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D017668:Age of Onset; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015474:Isotretinoin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011336:Probability; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D015474:Isotretinoin