ISOTRETINOIN THERAPY AND ITS EFFECT ON BONE HEALTH IN PATIENTS WITH ACNE VULGARIS.

Acne vulgaris is a common skin condition that affects mainly the dermal pilosebaceous glands, with symptoms range from open comedones to pustular cysts leading to inflammatory scars. Oral isotretinoin is used by dermatologists mainly for severe cases or resistance to topical treatments. This research determined bone health status in patients treated with a 6-month course of oral isotretinoin. The follow up duration of all 57 patients, 30 females and 27 males, who received a 0.5-1 mg/kg daily dose of oral isotretinoin through-out the study. The present investigation exhibited a significant decline in osteoblastic activity, markedly procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide (P1NP) and bone specific alkaline phosphatase (bsALP), accompanied by raised osteoblastic marker C-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen (bCTX), which suggests a shift towards bone resorption. Oxidative stress markers were also affected, with significantly decreased levels of glutathione (GSH) alongside elevated malondialdehyde (MDA). In addition, there were no such changes in liver function markers and parathyroid hormones (PTH). Such outcomes require a careful attention to bone health in patients with extended periods of oral isotretinoin therapy and in those with well-known skeletal disorders or risks.