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

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.