Effect of isotretinoin on periodontal tissues and oxidative stress markers in the saliva

Abstract

Background and Design: Isotretinoin is a vitamin A isomer, and is the most commonly used drug for the treatment and for achieving remission in severe acne. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of isotretinoin on periodontal tissues by assessing the clinical periodontal parameters and salivary oxidative stress (OS) markers. Materials and Methods: Twenty-five patients (17 women and 8 men) aged between 20 to 25 years old, who were identified as candidates for the treatment of acne with isotretinoin; and 18 healthy volunteers (14 women and 4 men), who were age- and sex-matched with the patients, and who did not have any inflammatory skin diseases or periodontal diseases, were included in the study. Patients received isotretinoin after their clinical periodontal parameters were recorded and saliva was collected at the baseline. Clinical periodontal parameters and salivary oxidative biomarkers were evaluated before and after 6 months of isotretinoin treatment. Results: The baseline periodontal clinical parameters and salivary biomarkers were not statistically different between groups (p>0.05). The total antioxidant capacity (TAC) values of the patient group were found out to be statistically decreased in the sixth month compared to the baseline (p=0.001). Conclusion: The study demonstrated that the use of isotretinoin due to acne vulgaris did not create significant changes in the periodontal tissues, but caused a significant decrease in the TAC levels. These alterations in the OS regulation may potentially take part in the pathological mechanisms involved in the emergence of isotretinoin's adverse effects.