A commonly prescribed medication for acne, isotretinoin, may be causing inflammatory bowel disease in users. This statement was reported in a review this month in the peer reviewed American Journal of Gastroenterology.
For the review doctors from the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire looked at all the reported cases of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that were associated with use of isotretinoin. IBD is a common diagnosis for two primary conditions, Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Crohn's Disease. Both UC and Crohn's affect the large intestine to varying degrees.
A total of 85 cases of isotretinoin related IBD were reviewed. Each case had been reported to the FDA over a period of 5 years. In order to determine if the condition (IBD) was in fact related to medication use, a standardized scale for adverse drug reaction was used by the researchers.
In a majority of the cases, 62 of 85, isotretinoin was deemed highly probable or probable cause for the IBD. While in no cases was the association deemed doubtful.
These finding may significantly effect informed consent and general warnings concerning side effects of the popular medication for severe acne. At this time the greatest concern or warning concerning use of isotretinoin is the risk of damage to a developing fetus if used in a pregnant female.
Now patients must pay particular attention to the risk of IBD, especially if there is a history of bowel disease in the patient or a strong family history of IBD. In many cases IBD is difficult to treat and cure, and patients may be dealing with this debilitating condition for the rest of their life.
Posted by Dr. Christina Gutierrez on September 13, 2006 01:45 PM
