Elsevier

Clinica Chimica Acta

Volume 143, Issue 3, 30 November 1984, Pages 243-251
Clinica Chimica Acta

Effects of isotretinoin on serum lipids and lipoproteins, liver and thyroid function

https://doi.org/10.1016/0009-8981(84)90074-3Get rights and content

Abstract

Seven patients with severe rosacea were treated with 1 mg/kg per day isotretinoin for 12 wk. There were significant increases in serum triglyceride (p < 0.001) and cholesterol (p < 0.001). Triglyceride associated with very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) increased (p < 0.01), cholesterol in VLDL and LDL increased (p < 0.01), and levels of HDL cholesterol decreased (p < 0.01). There were changes in indices of liver function, with increased levels of γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) (p < 0.01), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (p < 0.01) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (p < 0.01), and decreased bilirubin levels (p < 0.05). Although levels of thyroxine and triiodothyronine were lower after treatment (p < 0.05), there were no changes in basal levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) or follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and responses to thyrotrophin releasing hormone (TRH) and luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) were unchanged. These changes may partially be explained by induction of hepatic microsomal enzymes by isotretinoin.

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    More recently, retinoids have been proposed to play roles in glucose and lipid metabolism and maintain energy homeostasis.236,237 The use of isotretinoin (13-cis RA) caused elevation of plasma TG levels in human subjects.238–240 This increase in plasma TG level was also observed in rats.241–243

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