Isotretinoin is a Safety Therapy on Kidney: A Retrospective Study

Objective: Isotretinoin is widely used in severe acne treatment. The drug leads to several adverse effects; skin and mucous membranes are frequently affected. It may also cause serious and fatal adverse effects like kidney damage. The aim of this study is to determine the safety of isotretinoin usage on kidney functions in patients with acne vulgaris. Methods: Eighty six patients with severe acne vulgaris and receiving 0.5 mg/kg/day of isotretinoin treatment were included in the study and evaluated retrospectively. Serum urea, creatinine, complete blood count, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, lipid profile datas were obtained from patient files. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was measured at the baseline of treatment, 3rd and 6th months of treatment. Results: We detected significant increases in levels of creatinine on the third month (p=0.041), but it was not clinically significant, and there was no significant difference in creatinine levels at 6th month. There were no significant differences among the baseline, 3rd month (p=0.066) and 6th month (p=0.429) of GFR values. Conclusion: We think that isotretinoin is safe for the kidneys but patients with high creatinine levels at the baseline of treatment should be closely followed up.

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