Efficacy of Oral Low-Dose Isotretinoin in the Treatment of Acne Vulgaris in Vietnam

Authors

  • Thanh Le Thai Van Department of Dermatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, University Medical Center, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • Phuong Nguyen Minh Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • Phuong Tran Thi Thuy Department of Dermatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • Marco Gandolfi Unit of Dermatology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
  • Francesca Satolli Unit of Dermatology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
  • Claudio Feliciani Unit of Dermatology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
  • Micheal Tirant University of Rome G. Marconi, Rome, Italy; Psoriasis Eczema Clinic, Melbourne, Australia
  • Aleksandra Vojvodic Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Military Medical Academy of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
  • Torello Lotti University of Rome G. Marconi, Rome, Italy

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2019.094

Keywords:

Acne vulgaris, Plasma homocysteine level, Serum folic acid level, Low dose isotretinoin

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Oral isotretinoin is an effective therapy for acne. However, isotretinoin can induce hyperhomocysteinemia and decreased serum folic acid level, which may be a risk for cardiovascular disease and thrombosis, as well as psychoses. Besides, many recent types of research emphasise the safety and effects of the low dose isotretinoin therapy.

AIM: The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of the low-dose isotretinoin on the plasma homocysteine and serum folic acid level in the Vietnamese population.

METHODS: We conducted a longitudinal study to evaluate the effectiveness of the low-dose therapy on the plasma homocysteine and serum folic acid level of 52 acne patients after 6-8-week treatment at University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. Patients had moderate-severe acne with the prolonged course, and most of them had a scar.

RESULTS: With a low dose of oral isotretinoin (0.37 ± 0.11 mg/kg/day), after 6-8-week treatment, patients dropped the severity of disease, increased the plasma homocysteine level and decreased the serum folic acid level with significant differences in comparison to those before treatment. However, these changes do not exceed the normal range.

CONCLUSION: In overall, low dose isotretinoin treatment had effectiveness in decrease the severity of disease and no increasing the plasma homocysteine level as well as the serum folic acid level.

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Published

2019-01-28

How to Cite

1.
Van TLT, Nguyen Minh P, Tran Thi Thuy P, Gandolfi M, Satolli F, Feliciani C, Tirant M, Vojvodic A, Lotti T. Efficacy of Oral Low-Dose Isotretinoin in the Treatment of Acne Vulgaris in Vietnam. Open Access Maced J Med Sci [Internet]. 2019 Jan. 28 [cited 2024 Mar. 29];7(2):279-82. Available from: https://oamjms.eu/index.php/mjms/article/view/oamjms.2019.094

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